Alumwell Junior School

Inspection of Alumwell Junior School Primley Avenue, Walsall, West Midlands WS2 9UP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 10 and 11 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this friendly and happy school. Leaders have developed an ambitious curriculum for all pupils, and this enables them to achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have good relationships with each other and adults. They feel safe in school and say that bullying is rare. If it happens, pupils know who they can talk to and that it will be dealt with. Pupils’ behaviour in and around school is calm and considerate. Staff ensure that all pupils reflect on their behaviour and choices. Pupils value this and know that ‘how they behave matters’. As a result, mutual respect and kindness are part of everyday life.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders promote pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development well. Pupils learn to look through ‘windows and mirrors’ when learning about other faiths and cultures. This helps them to look at other people’s beliefs, experiences and perspectives and then reflect on their own. As a result, pupils understand the need to treat everyone equally and value each other’s differences.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils attend a variety of clubs in school, such as singing, board games and multi- sports. Others enjoy learning to play a musical instrument. These activities help to build character and develop pupils’ talents.

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better?

The curriculum is broad and ambitious. In mathematics, reading and science, leaders have identified the knowledge they want pupils to remember. However, this is not the case in some of the other subjects. Leaders have not clearly identified the knowledge and concepts that teachers must teach to the pupils. As a result, pupils do not learn well enough or in sufficient depth in these subjects.

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better?

In some subjects, leaders have checked the quality of education in their curriculum areas. This helps them to identify what is working well and what needs to be developed further. However, in a few subjects, leadership is in the early stages of development. These leaders do not routinely check on how well the curriculum is being delivered by staff. Therefore, they do not reliably know how well teachers are helping pupils to learn and remember the planned content.

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better?

In most subjects, teachers design lessons that build on what pupils already know. As a result, they have a good understanding of what to teach. They explain content clearly and use questions to extend pupils’ understanding and address any misconceptions that pupils may have.

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better?

Leaders are passionate about reading and have prioritised developing a love of reading. The reading curriculum is well sequenced and identifies the key vocabulary leaders want pupils to know and remember. Leaders have also put systems in place to support pupils to read fluently. Staff check that pupils are on track with their 10 and 11 May 2023

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reading. If pupils fall behind, they receive support to help them catch up. As a result, pupils enjoy reading and quickly learn to read with confidence. Leaders make sure that pupils access a broad range of books, both in the school and class library areas. Pupils enjoy choosing and reading books. They talk confidently about their favourite authors. One pupil explained that they like the way the author uses the blurb on the back of the book to ‘hook them into the story’.

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There is a systematic and consistent behaviour approach across the school. This help pupils to behave well. They rarely disrupt the learning of their peers. Leaders make sure that pupils with additional needs are identified quickly. These pupils achieve well because staff demonstrate a good understanding of their individual needs and provide them with appropriate help to learn alongside their classmates.

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Leaders have a well-planned and thoughtful approach to pupils’ personal development. Pupils are taught effectively about healthy relationships and learn to express their thoughts and feelings. As a result, pupils develop personally and become more prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Governors bring skills and expertise from a range of backgrounds. They support and challenge leaders effectively. Staff comment that leaders and governors are considerate of their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have a strong understanding of current safeguarding issues. Staff are well trained in all aspects of keeping children safe. They know how to identify and report any concerns about pupils. Leaders and staff know pupils and families well. They liaise closely with families and a range of agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families receive appropriate support. Leaders ensure that adults who work at the school are safe to do so.

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Safeguarding

The family support worker supports pupils with their emotional well-being. Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe, including learning about online safety.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the components of knowledge they want pupils to know and remember over time. This means teachers are not clear about the key knowledge pupils need to learn and build upon. Senior leaders should continue to support subject leaders to enable them 10 and 11 May 2023

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to successfully design their curriculum and evaluate its implementation to identify where it can be improved further.

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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. 10 and 11 May 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10278834 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 23 and 24 January 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 New co-headteachers have been appointed since the previous inspection.  The school is part of the Cadmus Federation.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors 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 leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, science, history and art and design. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 10 and 11 May 2023

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 The lead inspector met with the co-headteachers and four members of the governing board, including the chair.  Inspectors spoke with a range of leaders, staff and pupils about safeguarding. Inspectors examined safeguarding records and documentation. They scrutinised the checks made on staff before they start working at the school.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors considered the views of parents expressed in the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and by talking to parents at the school gate. Inspectors also looked at the responses to surveys completed by staff and by pupils.

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Inspection team

Kerry Rochester, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Anne Potter Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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