Julian's School

Inspection of a good school: Julian’s School 16 Wolfington Road, West Norwood, London SE27 0JF

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Outcome

Julian’s School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school and are excited to share their learning experiences. Leaders provide an ambitious curriculum, with high expectations for all pupils. Pupils are happy. They enjoy school life and feel safe. Pupils have positive working relationships with staff. They know that if they have any concerns, they can speak to an adult who will listen and support them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders make sure that pupils behave well. The school’s values are central to pupils’ behaviour and are evident throughout every aspect of school life. Teachers encourage pupils to recognise and manage their emotions well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide opportunities to enrich the curriculum. Pupils enjoy a range of outings. They visit museums to deepen their understanding of curriculum learning. Visiting speakers enhance pupils’ wider development. For example, a beekeeper visited children in the early years. Leaders are keen for pupils to broaden their experiences. For instance, Year 3 pupils have made a school mosaic representing the school’s values. Pupils have opportunities to work with artists, actors and musicians, and to bond with peers and staff on a residential trip.

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

Leaders have a clear vision for the curriculum. They have identified the key knowledge, skills and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn. In most subjects, leaders have considered the small steps required to support pupils’ knowledge to build over time. In a few subjects, key content is not identified as precisely. This has the potential to limit pupils’ deeper understanding. Children make a strong start in the early years. Leaders plan learning carefully, including through stimulating activities. For instance, children in Nursery used cubes to practise their language of taller and shorter with toy animals.

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

Teachers have secure subject knowledge, which they use effectively to question and support pupils. Teachers address misconceptions swiftly and enable pupils to recall prior 7 and 8 June 2023 learning. They present information to pupils with clarity. This helped pupils in Year 1 to place landmarks of London on a large map of the River Thames.

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

In Nursery, children are exposed to a language-rich environment and regular stories. The teaching of phonics enables pupils to segment and blend sounds accurately. Staff ensure phonic lessons are engaging and pupils are excited to be able to read. In early years, staff help children to use their phonic knowledge to write accurately. For example, children wrote about how to ‘save the bee’. Leaders have recently introduced decodable books matched to pupils’ reading level. They make sure that there is a consistent approach to class reading sessions in Years 3 to 6. Leaders have thought carefully about the texts that pupils read. Texts are chosen to represent the diversity in the school.

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

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They ensure that pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers adapt resources to help pupils with SEND to learn successfully. Adults provide effective support, including the use of specialists when required.

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

Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Staff help pupils to develop a mature understanding of relationships and feelings. Pupils work together with each other well. The learning environment is calm and purposeful. Staff make sure that pupils remain focused in lessons. Pupils listen to their peers respectfully and offer their own thoughts and ideas.

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

Leaders teach pupils to treat each other and themselves with respect. They ensure that all pupils learn to play an instrument and perform musically. Pupils have opportunities to develop their sporting talents at clubs and competitions. Some pupils develop their leadership skills through the school council and eco squad.

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

The governing body provides active support and challenge for leaders. Governors work with leaders to identify strategic developments for the school accurately. Staff work collaboratively across the two sites, sharing ideas and planning. They value the support they receive from leaders and are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders build strong and trusting relationships with pupils and families. Thorough training ensures that all staff are swift to identify potential concerns. Leaders work with external agencies when required to provide appropriate support. Staff in school provide therapeutic and support services. Leaders have robust systems for reporting and checking that pupils get the right help.

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Safeguarding

Through the curriculum, pupils are taught how to keep safe online and in the local community. Pupils know that if they have any concerns, they can share them with an adult who will listen. 7 and 8 June 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few foundation subjects, the assessment of what children already know is not as sharp as in other subjects. Where this is the case, teachers do not build on pupils’ prior learning with precision. This limits pupils’ deeper knowledge and understanding. Leaders need to ensure that they identify clear end points in learning that they want all pupils to know and remember.

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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 November 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.

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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. 7 and 8 June 2023

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School details

Number of pupils on the school roll 1,000

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 14 to 23 November 2017, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is located over two sites.  Leaders do not make use of any alternative providers.

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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 met with the executive headteacher, the head of schools, other leaders and a range of staff. They also met with the governing body and a representative from the local authority. Inspectors visited both school sites.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and geography. Activities included discussions with leaders and teachers about the curriculum, visiting lessons, speaking with groups of pupils about their learning, and a scrutiny of pupils’ work. Inspectors considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to behaviour and pupils’ wider development.

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Information about this inspection

7 and 8 June 2023  Inspectors considered the responses of parents and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors met with the designated safeguarding leads and considered safeguarding documents and records. These included the school’s records and plans for supporting pupils who have been referred to outside agencies.  Inspectors held meetings with staff and spoke with pupils during social times. They observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as they arrived and left school.

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Inspection team

Sacha Husnu-Beresford, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Seamus Gibbons Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 2023 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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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

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Inspection team

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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