Canford Heath Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Canford Heath Junior School Learoyd Road, Canford Heath, Poole, Dorset BH17 8PJ

p.1

Inspection dates: 17 and 18 October 2023

p.1

Outcome

Canford Heath Junior School continues to be a good school.

p.1

Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Mark Wilson. This school is part of the TEACH Poole multi-academy trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Kate Carter, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Emma Hall.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly ambitious for all pupils. It has designed a well-sequenced and interesting curriculum that engages and enthuses pupils. Parents overwhelmingly agree. One commented that, ‘This school has such a positive and personal approach to teaching. Children just seem to have so much room to grow and develop.’ Parents appreciate the range of opportunities the school provides for their children’s wider development.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They feel safe. Pupils build effective relationships with adults. They know who they can go to if they have a concern or a worry. The school provides effective care and support. Pupils know they are accepted for who they are.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well. Staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Pupils talk about behaviour being good most of the time. When pupils can become distracted in class, adults deal with it quickly.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of respecting and valuing others. They know that people are different. They appreciate the fact that there are different cultures and beliefs in the world. Pupils can talk about why it is good to be different. They enjoy taking on roles of responsibility. Pupils develop into responsible citizens. This is a key aspect of the school’s vision.

p.1

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

The school has high expectations for what all pupils can achieve. These expectations are shared across the whole school community. The school’s ethos of ‘Children First’ encapsulates the desire to maximise every child’s life chances. Staff morale is high. They 17–18 October 2023

p.1

2

appreciate the support provided for their development. They value the changes made in assessment practice to support their workload and well-being.

p.2

2

The school prioritises reading. Staff benefit from regular training to deliver the school’s reading programme effectively. Staff use assessment well to ensure those pupils who struggle with reading catch up quickly. Most pupils become confident and fluent readers. Pupils like reading. They understand why it is important to be able to read well. Pupils have access to a wide range of different types of stories, including texts that support their understanding of culture and diversity.

p.2

2

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum, identifying what knowledge pupils need to learn. It is sequenced well, so that, over time, pupils know more and remember more. In music, pupils link their current learning to previously taught knowledge about musical notation. The curriculum builds in time for pupils to consolidate prior learning. For example, in mathematics, pupils use and apply what they know to answer problem- solving and reasoning tasks. However, some staff do not ensure pupils receive these opportunities for consolidation. This means that some pupils do not get to embed their understanding securely enough across some areas of the curriculum.

p.2

2

The school accurately identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life. Staff adapt learning appropriately, so these pupils can access the same curriculum as their peers. Staff have the training they need to support learning for those with the most complex needs.

p.2

2

The school is a calm and purposeful place to learn. Pupils enjoy their social time. They move around the school site with care. Pupils who struggle with their behaviour are supported well. Clear strategies and expectations support staff to ensure that these pupils are ready to learn. Pupils’ attendance remains high. Careful tracking of attendance means the school is aware of any reasons for absence, so this can be addressed.

p.2

2

All pupils receive opportunities to develop themselves as individuals beyond the classroom. Pupils attend a range of extra-curricular activities, including clubs, trips and visits to enhance their learning. They enjoy the links they have with the local community and the opportunity they get to share their love of music, for example, with others. Pupils are taught about healthy lifestyles and positive relationships.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The well-designed curriculum is not always being implemented as leaders intend. As a result, in some subjects, some pupils are not getting time to consolidate their learning. 17–18 October 2023

p.2

3

This slows their progress. The trust needs to ensure that staff implement the intended curriculum effectively, so all pupils build on what they know and can do across all subject areas.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school, Canford Heath Junior School to be good in December 2017.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.3

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). 17–18 October 2023

p.3

School details

Local authority Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 7 December 2017 under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 Canford Heath Junior School is part of TEACH Poole, a multi-academy trust with three other local schools and Poole SCITT, which is based at one of the other multi-academy trust schools.

p.4

Information about this school

 Since the time of the last inspection, the executive headteacher has taken up post as the chief executive officer (CEO).

p.4

Information about this school

 The school is a UNICEF Gold Right’s Respecting School.

p.4

Information about this school

 The school does not use alternative provision.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 17–18 October 2023

p.4

5

 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 their evaluation of the school.

p.5

5

 The inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, inclusion leaders, other senior leaders, the designated safeguarding leads, the CEO of the TEACH Poole trust and those responsible for governance, including the chair of trustees.

p.5

5

 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.

p.5

5

 The inspector listened to pupils in Years 3, 4 and 6 read to an adult.

p.5

5

 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.

p.5

5

 The inspector considered the 90 responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including 55 free-texts, 440 responses to the pupil survey and 36 responses to the staff survey.

p.5

Inspection team

Heather Barraclough, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 17–18 October 2023

p.5

6

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.

p.6

6

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.6

6

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.6

6

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.6

6

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

p.6