Connaught Junior School

Inspection of Connaught Junior School Manor Way, Bagshot, Surrey GU19 5JY

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

The quality of education Outstanding Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Previous inspection grade Good 24 and 25 May 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are highly positive, enthusiastic and proud to be part of this exceptional school. Staff encourage everyone to be kind and pupils value this as it helps them to feel happy and safe. Pupils use the ‘friendship bench’ and ‘The Pupil Parliament’ meetings to discuss and agree how to be resilient and show kindness.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is excellent and contributes to a focused and determined learning culture in which they work hard and celebrate successes as a community. Bullying is extremely rare and staff are swift to resolve any worries. Pupils are respectful and welcoming to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have very high expectations of the whole school community, including every pupil. Pupils understand and live up to these expectations. Leaders make sure that every child is included in all aspects of school life. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All staff are equally committed to inclusion. They take time to make sure that everyone is able to learn and thrive. As a result, pupils learn very well across their curriculum and enjoy their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about what many describe as a ‘happy’ and ‘nurturing’ community that helps their children to succeed.

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better?

Leaders are determined for all pupils to benefit from a high-quality education and have designed an ambitious curriculum to realise this expectation. They have ensured that in every subject, there is coherent and thoughtfully sequenced planning that identifies the precise knowledge that pupils will learn. Staff follow this skilfully to ensure that pupils build secure knowledge and skills over time.

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better?

Leaders ensure that staff have excellent subject knowledge and explain new content clearly. Staff accurately and routinely assess pupils’ understanding. This means that teachers have a very clear understanding of what pupils have learned. They use this to adapt activities and make sure that all pupils, including those with SEND, are able to confidently link new learning to what they have learned before. As a result of this, all pupils, including those with SEND, achieve very well across the whole curriculum.

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better?

Staff have an obvious passion for reading and books. This permeates the school and pupils share the sense of joy and wonder in stories and different texts. Those pupils who arrive with gaps in their knowledge and fluency are helped to catch up quickly. Staff have real expertise here. Their work is highly effective for these and all pupils. In particular, pupils develop a love of words. Their vocabulary is precise and considered when describing the books they are reading.

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better?

All around the school there is a buzz of calm determination and ambition. Pupils behave exceptionally well. Leaders set very high expectations of pupils’ conduct and 24 and 25 May 2023

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provide detailed training to staff. This helps staff to be consistent which in turn helps pupils to precisely understand what is expected of them. Consequently, there is a shared understanding of how to interact and show respect as a community. In lessons, pupils strive to try their best and are resilient even when challenged in their learning.

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Leaders are passionate about and dedicated to promoting the personal development of all pupils. Pupils relish the opportunities designed to engage and foster their interests. Staff check carefully which pupils are benefiting from this and encourage any who are reluctant to participate. Pupil leadership is a strength of this wider provision and they are proud of their positions of responsibility. Pupils show enthusiasm and a sense of service to their school community. They demonstrate considerable care for each other's well-being. They also learn about life beyond the school and so are prepared well for life in modern Britain.

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Staff enjoy working here and believe that leaders genuinely care about their workload and well-being. Governors, school leaders and trust leaders work successfully together, so that pupils become ‘caring, confident, committed’ learners. This contributes positively to making the school the best it can be for all pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Safeguarding is a strength of the school. Leaders are resolute in their determination to ensure that safeguarding procedures are robustly followed to help keep pupils safe from harm.

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Safeguarding

Leaders provide high-quality extensive training. This ensures that staff know how to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm or need help. Pupils are taught about risks, how to keep themselves safe and how to get help.

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Safeguarding

Leaders are relentless in their pursuit of ensuring support for pupils who need it. They work swiftly to provide the required help through the school or in partnership with outside agencies.

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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. 24 and 25 May 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. 24 and 25 May 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 8 and 9 March 2022, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Alliance Multi-Academy Trust.  The school currently makes use of one registered alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator. Meetings were also held with subject leaders, other staff and pupils.  The lead inspector also met with the chief executive and trustees of The Alliance Multi-Academy Trust, as well as school governors.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, computing, geography and music. For each deep dive, inspectors looked at 24 and 25 May 2023

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curriculum planning, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at playtime and lunchtime. They spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour and safety.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors spoke to staff, pupils and governors. A range of safeguarding information was scrutinised, including the school’s policies and records. Inspectors spoke to pupils and observed relationships between pupils and adults. The lead inspector also met with the designated safeguarding lead.  As well as speaking to parents at the school gate, inspectors considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. Staff’s views were taken into account through a number of meetings, as well as their responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

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Inspection team

Paul Hemmings, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Ian Howie Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 May 2023

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