Charlton Kings Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Charlton Kings Junior School East End Road, Charlton Kings, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL53 8QE

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Outcome

There has been no change to this school’s overall judgement of good as a result of this ungraded (section 8) inspection. However, the evidence gathered suggests that the inspection grade might be outstanding if a graded (section 5) inspection were carried out now. The school’s next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Susan Selwood. This school is a single-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Martin Oates.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Charlton Kings Junior is a school where pupils excel. ‘Attainment, belief and community’ and ‘believe in yourself’ outline the school’s key drivers for success. The school focuses on ensuring that pupils learn the curriculum and that they attain well. Positive partnerships and respect for everyone in the community permeate school life. An extensive variety of activities successfully promotes confidence and resilience. Leaders’ clarity of vision and purpose supports high and consistent expectations for all. Pupils learn to believe in themselves. They are very well prepared for their futures. Each day is full of rich experiences, which pupils really enjoy. Learning is very well organised. Older pupils provide strong role models, taking up roles such as mentors and buddies. Behaviour is excellent. Pupils are polite, curious and optimistic. There are many and varied clubs to join, and there are always exciting events to look

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What is it like to attend this school?

forward to. Pupils swim in the pristine outdoor pool. They discover wildlife in the wonderful nature area. Parents and carers are rightly very proud of the school. Parents praise the school for the way it focuses on its pupils in order to provide them with a well- rounded education. 3 and 4 October 2023

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

Leaders at all levels approach their roles with integrity, humility and kindness. They have a clear and accurate view of what the school does well, but there is no complacency here. They continue to identify and drive further improvements. The trust plays an active part in the school’s success. It delegates roles and responsibilities to ensure that there is the right balance of challenge and support. The school supports staff with their work very well. It carefully manages staff development to ensure that everyone has the knowledge they need to deliver the curriculum effectively.

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

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils. The curriculum is firmly embedded across subjects. Each subject has clearly sequenced learning components. These develop and build, using ‘silver threads’, the important concepts for each subject. The design of the curriculum ensures that pupils consolidate and remember learning. New knowledge is carefully introduced. For example, in mathematics, pupils are not overloaded with too many new mathematical concepts at once. In subjects such as art, pupils build skills over time. Consequently, they get better at aspects of art such as drawing and painting. Assessment across the curriculum is effective. Teachers identify pupils’ misconceptions and adapt learning accordingly. As a result, pupils complete their work and present it with pride.

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

The school is determined that every child will leave the school able and wanting to read. Staff carefully assess and track progress in reading. They ensure that pupils who need to catch up have extra phonics support. Reading support alongside subject-specific help enables pupils to access the content of the curriculum.

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

This is a highly inclusive school. Teachers adapt the curriculum well to ensure that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are fully included in learning, alongside their friends. The school and parents work in partnership to identify pupils’ next steps and to help pupils to achieve them. Pupils’ individual learning plans are of high quality. The school ensures that all pupils can take part in trips and in the wide variety of clubs. Leaders routinely check how well the curriculum is being adapted to suit pupils’ needs. As a result, pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils achieve very well.

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

Pupils have good awareness of different types of bullying, but say it never happens. Pupils respond well to the consistently high expectations of behaviour across the school. They are confident that any misbehaviour will be fairly responded to. In lessons, pupils are resilient and engaged in their learning tasks. They support one another and help each other with learning. Personal development is embedded into the life of the school. Assemblies play an important part in developing pupils’ understanding of different cultures and key values.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 October 2023

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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 September 2014.

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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’ is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 3 and 4 October 2023

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School details

Date of previous inspection 21 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There are no relevant changes since the last inspection.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector had several meetings with senior staff, including the headteacher and the assistant headteachers. The inspector met with several trustees, including the chair of the trustee board. The inspector also had a telephone call with the school’s improvement partner.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a 3 and 4 October 2023

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sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central record, took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils, and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector considered the comments made on Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, and took other responses into account. The views provided by pupils and staff, including the responses to online surveys, were also considered.

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Inspection team

Tonwen Empson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 October 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 looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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