South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School

Inspection of a good school: South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School Moor Lane, Netherton, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD4 7HF

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Outcome

South Crosland Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established an influential vision that inspires pupils to treat each other with the utmost respect. Staff consistently show pupils how to be kind and how to support each other. Pupils follow the example that adults set for them by applying for the many leadership roles on offer. Pupil buddies support younger peers, showing patience and generosity. Other pupils support their school as lunchtime supervisors, ensuring that lunchtimes run smoothly. The culture of respect and care that leaders have built is helping all pupils to ‘flourish and succeed’. Pupils are happy and safe in this very inclusive school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Adults make sure that all pupils behave well. Some pupils find it more difficult to manage their feelings and behaviour. Adults are beginning to apply consistent approaches to help these pupils get back on track. Breaktimes are harmonious. Pupils know that adults expect them to support each other. Pupils live this out through their caring interactions with each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have established an ambitious curriculum for all pupils. Pupils are inspired by the many opportunities that the curriculum offers to them. Some pupils read new books and write their own stories after meeting with authors. Other pupils learn to play musical instruments, inspired by musical performances. Leaders make sure pupils have many opportunities to explore their talents and interests.

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

Leaders have placed reading at the centre of the curriculum. They have made sure that all teachers have the expertise to help pupils to learn to read. Leaders ensure that pupils receive the same phonics teaching as they did when attending the infant school. Adults follow the phonics programme consistently. This is helping pupils to become fluent 3 and 4 July 2023

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readers. Teachers show pupils what being a great reader looks like by reading to them every day. Pupils enjoy the stories that adults share with them. Pupils are enthusiastic about the characters and plots they have encountered. Staff help pupils to catch up if they are behind with their reading. This helps pupils to become confident readers. However, the support given to pupils who struggle the most is not as precise as it could be. When these pupils read their reading books to an adult, adults do not consistently encourage pupils to draw on their phonic knowledge to help them to read.

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Leaders have carefully structured the curriculum to make sure that pupils build their knowledge step by step. For example, in mathematics, pupils develop their confidence in using coordinates and plotting shapes. They use this knowledge to accurately translate the position of shapes on a grid. When studying music, pupils learn how to notate different rhythms. This helps them later, when writing musical notes, to record their compositions. Adults routinely check that pupils remember the important knowledge that leaders have identified. If pupils have misconceptions, adults address these quickly. This helps pupils to confidently use the knowledge they have learned.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) follow the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Leaders work tirelessly to remove any barriers that pupils might face to their learning. They do this by making sure that all staff have the expertise to help pupils with SEND. These pupils receive the support they need. Pupils with SEND master new knowledge quickly and are confident learners.

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The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education helps pupils to understand how to stay safe online. Pupils understand about their digital footprints. They also know when personal information should not be shared. However, leaders’ ambition for pupils’ learning in other aspects of PSHE has not been fully secured. Leaders have not precisely identified the important knowledge that pupils need in this subject.

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Pupils develop their characters through the many leadership roles on offer. Pupils use these leadership roles to support the local community. Playground leaders support younger pupils in the local infant school by helping them to join in with playground games. School counsellors support local families by running a uniform exchange at the summer gala. Pupil leadership is a ‘golden thread’ that informs the deep respect with which pupils treat everyone around them.

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Governors challenge and support leaders to improve the school. They share leaders’ ambitions for pupils. Staff workload and well-being are a priority for leaders. Staff are positive about the time they are given to undertake their roles. They are proud to work at this inclusive school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders have established a culture of safeguarding. Adults receive regular training and frequent updates on safeguarding. They know the risks that children may face. If they are 3 and 4 July 2023

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concerned that a pupil may be at risk of harm, they are quick to follow agreed procedures to get the necessary help.

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Leaders keep thorough records of the actions taken to keep pupils safe. Leaders are tenacious in following up on concerns and work well with outside agencies when there are concerns about vulnerable pupils. Appropriate checks are made on the suitability of those appointed to work with children.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 When pupils struggle to read, adults do not consistently enable them to draw on their phonic knowledge to help them to read. Leaders should ensure that adults have further training so that they consistently help pupils to draw on their phonic knowledge when reading with an adult.  The most important knowledge that pupils need in PSHE has not been identified precisely enough. Pupils have some gaps in their understanding of key topics. Leaders should make sure this important knowledge is made clear and that adults address any gaps in pupils’ understanding.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in January 2013.

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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. 3 and 4 July 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. 3 and 4 July 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255893 Type of school Junior

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Janice Dorrington

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School details

Date of previous inspection 14 February 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with senior leaders, subject leaders and teachers. The inspector met with the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector held a meeting with the governors, including the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. The inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult. 3 and 4 July 2023

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 The inspector met with the designated safeguarding lead to review a range of documents, including the school’s log of safeguarding incidents. The inspector also spoke to staff about how they keep pupils safe. The inspector reviewed the school’s single central record to check the suitability of staff working at the school.  The inspector scrutinised a range of other documentation, including records of pupils’ behaviour, governor meeting minutes and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke informally to pupils to gather their views on school life. She also talked to parents at the start of the school day.  To gather parents’ views, the inspector took account of the views of parents from Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including free-text comments.  To gather the views of staff, the inspector took account of the staff survey.  To gather the views of pupils, the inspector took account of the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Jen Sloan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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