Durrington Church of England Controlled Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Durrington Church of England Controlled Junior School Bulford Road, Durrington, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP4 8DL

p.1

Inspection dates: 31 October and 1 November 2023

p.1

Outcome

Durrington Church of England Controlled Junior School continues to be a good school.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They are friendly and welcoming. Pupils enjoy school and they attend well. They are happy and safe. Staff know pupils and families well. Staff communicate regularly with parents. Consequently, pupils and parents feel well supported.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school values of ‘truth, respect and kindness’ are evident in pupils’ conduct and how they treat one another. The values guide pupils to make positive choices about their own behaviour.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for pupils. It has recently improved the curriculum so that pupils know and remember more.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about responsibility. They are keen to take on roles such as school councillors, house captains and sports leaders.

p.1

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

The school has recently made significant improvements to the curriculum in response to low published outcomes. Pupils now learn a broad, coherent and well-sequenced curriculum. The impact of recent curriculum development is evident in the current quality of provision. However, this is not yet reflected in published outcomes.

p.1

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

The school has identified the knowledge and skills that pupils must learn. All teachers follow the school’s agreed approach to teaching the curriculum. They ensure that pupils frequently revisit what they have learned before. This helps pupils to build on what they already know. Teachers show pupils how to apply what they have learned. They provide time for pupils to practise their learning. Teaching checks pupils’ knowledge and helps pupils to address gaps in their understanding. However, pupils’ written work does not 31 October and 1 November 2023

p.1

2

always show what pupils know and can do. The school knows this and is focusing on improving the quality of pupils’ writing.

p.2

2

Staff explain new learning clearly and link this to what pupils already know. They adapt learning for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This enables pupils with SEND to learn alongside their peers. Most learning activities that pupils undertake are well matched to the knowledge and skills that staff want them to build. However, some learning activities do not deepen pupils’ understanding well enough.

p.2

2

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. The books pupils read help them to understand different cultures and perspectives, as well as developing their vocabularies. Pupils who do not read fluently get the help that they need to catch up with their peers.

p.2

2

Pupils learn without disruption. Staff frequently praise positive behaviour. Pupils know how they are expected to behave. Most pupils strive to meet these expectations and appreciate the rewards they get for doing so. Social times are harmonious. Pupils work co-operatively in lessons.

p.2

2

The school helps pupils to understand the contributions made to society by people from a variety of backgrounds. Pupils know what it means to be an active citizen and enjoy contributing to the community. For instance, the choir sings at church events and pupils visit a local lunch club for older people.

p.2

2

Pupils enjoy the clubs and trips offered by the school. Extra support is provided so that pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged benefit from opportunities to develop their talents and interests alongside their peers.

p.2

2

Leaders understand the strengths and weaknesses of the school. They have ensured that staff know how to improve pupils’ learning so that they know and remember more. The school checks that pupils are learning what they should at each stage.

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

What does the school need to do to improve?

 Some learning activities do not match the intention of the curriculum. They are not well aligned to the knowledge that pupils are learning. This means that activities do not always help pupils to deepen their knowledge effectively. The school needs to ensure that all learning activities enable pupils to build their understanding of all aspects of the subjects they learn.  The written work that pupils produce is not always of high quality. It does not show all that they know and can do. The school needs to ensure that pupils are supported well to improve the quality of writing so that it better reflects the ambitious curriculum that they learn. 31 October and 1 November 2023

p.2

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 school to be good in December 2012.

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). 31 October and 1 November 2023

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 9 November 2017

p.4

Information about this school

 The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.  Durrington Junior is a Church of England school. The last section 48 inspection of the religious character took place in March 2023. The next section 48 inspection is due before March 2031.

p.4

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 carried out deep dives into these subjects: early reading, English, mathematics and history.  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. 31 October and 1 November 2023

p.4

5

 The inspector listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  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 met with members of the local governing body and with the school improvement adviser.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in a range of situations, including in corridors, at breaktimes, at lunchtimes and in lessons. The inspector also spoke with pupils about behaviour and bullying.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online survey. The inspector also spoke to pupils and staff in meetings and around the school site.

p.5

Inspection team

Sarah Favager-Dalton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 31 October and 1 November 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