Danesholme Junior Academy

Inspection of a good school: Danesholme Junior Academy Motala Close, Corby, Northamptonshire NN18 9DT

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Outcome

Danesholme Junior Academy continues to be a good school.

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Outcome

The executive principal of this school is Nikki Lamond. This school is part of Greenwood Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Wayne Norrie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Mike Hamlin. There is also a head of academy, Karen Rolf, who is responsible for this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Danesholme Junior Academy is a happy and caring place to learn. The school’s values of ‘kindness, respect and achievement’ underpin how pupils behave towards each other and staff. The school is inclusive and welcoming. Pupils say that everyone is kind.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations of all pupils. Pupils respond well to these expectations. They behave well in lessons and around school. They are keen to learn. Pupils say that staff deal with any incidents, including bullying, quickly and fairly. Pupils are confident to talk to staff if they have any worries. Pupils feel safe because they trust the adults around them. Staff know pupils and their families very well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Opportunities to promote pupils’ wider development are well considered by the school. Pupils benefit from many experiences. They visit the museum at Duxford and see a pantomime at the theatre. Pupils value the opportunities they have to take part in clubs such as coding or cooking. They enjoy taking on responsibilities. The eco-council has organised litter picking and placed compost bins on site.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers have positive views of the school. One parent, typical of many, said, ‘Teachers are supportive and treat all children well.’

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

The school has established an ambitious and inclusive curriculum for all pupils. It aims to 1 and 2 November 2023

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foster curiosity and wonder. In most subjects, the precise knowledge and skills pupils should learn are well sequenced and build on what pupils have learned before. The school has considered how pupils develop a rich vocabulary in each subject. In some subjects, the curriculum is relatively new. The key knowledge that pupils should know and remember has not been identified as precisely. It is too soon to see the impact on pupils knowing and remembering more in these subjects.

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The school has built a strong culture of reading. Teachers read to pupils every day. Pupils look forward to this story time and listen intently. Pupils enjoy the school’s reading events, such as when parents stay at the start of the day to read with their child. Pupils speak with enthusiasm about their library. It has plenty of high-quality books and comfortable spaces to read. Pupils who struggle to read are identified quickly. These pupils receive extra support to catch up.

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Teachers have good subject knowledge. They present information clearly. They plan engaging learning activities and question pupils to deepen their understanding. Pupils in Year 5 are keen to learn how trade and travel helped the Black Death spread from Asia to Europe. Teachers are developing a range of ways to check what pupils know and can do. Leaders are knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their subjects. In some subjects, the school has not checked that the curriculum is being taught as intended. The school has not provided guidance on how to improve the teaching of the curriculum in these subjects.

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Teachers have high expectations of what pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) will know and be able to do. There are clear systems in place to identify pupils with SEND. Teachers have the right information to make sure these pupils get the help they need in lessons. This support helps pupils to access the full curriculum confidently.

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Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. They understand that families come in different shapes and sizes. They learn from each other, in lessons and assemblies, about different faiths and cultures. Pupils have a strong understanding of equality and treating everyone with respect. They are polite and courteous. The school supports pupils’ mental health and well-being.

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Staff feel well supported. They enjoy working at the school. They appreciate the consideration the school gives to managing their workload and well-being. The multi- academy trust is well informed about the school’s priorities. It offers valuable expertise to the school team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 1 and 2 November 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum for some foundation subjects is still relatively new. Key knowledge in these subjects is not yet identified as well as it could be. Pupils do not always recall important content and concepts as well as they should. The school should ensure that there is clarity as to the knowledge pupils should learn in these subjects so that pupils are able to know and remember more over time.  In some subjects, the school has not checked how well the curriculum is being implemented. As a result, the school is not providing precise guidance on how to improve the teaching in these subjects. The school should ensure that it has a precise understanding of the effectiveness with which the curriculum is being delivered across all subjects.

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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 May 2018.

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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, 1 and 2 November 2023

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 1 and 2 November 2023

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School details

Headteacher Nikki Lamond (Executive Principal) Karen Rolf (Head of Academy) Website www.danesholmejunioracademy.org

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 May 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The executive principal took up her post in September 2021. She is also the executive principal of a local infant school.  The school uses two registered alternative provisions.  There is a before- and after-school club managed by the school.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the executive headteacher, the head of academy and the leader of provision for pupils with SEND. She also met with curriculum leaders, teachers and 1 and 2 November 2023

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other staff members.  The inspector met with the vice-chair, the chief executive officer and other representatives of the multi-academy trust.  The inspector carried out deep dives in early reading, science and history. For each deep dive, the inspector visited lessons, discussed the curriculum with leaders, reviewed pupils’ work and spoke with pupils and teachers about learning. The inspector also reviewed documentation about other curriculum subjects.  The inspector listened as pupils read to a familiar adult.  During the inspection, the inspector met with a group of pupils to discuss their views about the school. The inspector spoke to other pupils informally during social times. She also visited the breakfast club.  A wide range of documents were scrutinised, including those relating to attendance and behaviour.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector reviewed the single central

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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 reviewed responses to Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. The inspector spoke to parents at the end of the school day. Responses to Ofsted’s staff and pupil questionnaires were also considered.

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Inspection team

Joanne Sanchez-Thompson, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 November 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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