Wroughton Junior Academy

Inspection of Wroughton Junior Academy Burgh Road, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk NR31 8BD

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

p.1

Overall effectiveness Requires improvement

The acting headteacher of this school is Mark Thompson. This school is part of Creative Education Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Marc Jordan, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Abbie Rumbold. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring school. Relationships between staff and pupils are warm and nurturing. Pupils feel safe. They have many trusted adults they can talk to should they have any worries or anxieties.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Most pupils behave sensibly and work with positive attitudes. They try hard to personify the school’s core values of effort, responsibility and respect. They enjoy the ‘Star of the week’ assemblies, where individual achievements are celebrated.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a range of extra-curricular clubs. They attend clubs such as cooking, musical theatre and dodgeball. This provides them with varied opportunities to develop skills beyond the curriculum.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils know that everyone is different and celebrate this. They used the example of Rosa Parks to explain why it is wrong to discriminate against someone because of the colour of their skin.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Many parents and carers talk positively about the school. However, some parents have mixed views about recent changes.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils study an ambitious curriculum. However, they do not achieve well enough. This is reflected in the outcomes of end of Year 6 statutory tests.

p.2

better?

Significant turbulence in leadership has slowed the rate of improvement across this school. The school now has a secure and robust focus on what needs to improve. Their efforts, together with a dedicated staff team and highly effective trust, are beginning to have a positive impact. However, there is still more to do to ensure that pupils get a good quality of education.

p.2

better?

The school has worked closely with the trust to put in place an ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum that outlines important knowledge and skills. In all subjects there is a clear structure to lessons. However, in some subjects, there is not a systematic approach to check what pupils know and remember long-term. This means there are gaps in pupils’ knowledge.

p.2

better?

The school has made reading a priority. Staff are well trained in the school’s phonics and reading programmes. They provide effective support to pupils who are falling behind. The school is developing a culture of reading for pleasure. Teachers link high-quality texts to topics across the wider curriculum. This reflects the aim for reading to be at the heart of learning. Pupils enjoy the books they read in class, which provide inspiration for their own writing.

p.2

better?

Teachers effectively support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) in the classroom, ensuring they can experience success while learning 7 and 8 November 2023

p.2

3

alongside their peers. However, targets on pupils’ individual support plans are not precise enough or addressed consistently. This means some pupils with SEND do not get the specific support they need to meet these targets. As a result, these pupils are not making enough progress.

p.3

3

The school recently implemented a new behaviour policy. This has made a difference. Consequently, most pupils now behave well. They like the clarity of the traffic light system. Adults use the same ‘habits of attention’ across the school. The rules, rewards and consequences are applied consistently and fairly. As a result, pupils’ learning is rarely disturbed. Pupils move around school in a calm and orderly way.

p.3

3

The school has developed robust systems to improve pupils’ attendance. It is working with families to help them get their children to school every day and on time. This work is helping to improve attendance for many pupils. Pupils are keen on initiatives such as ‘Freddo Friday’ for good attendance over the week. However, some disadvantaged pupils still miss too much time in school. Leaders are rightly maintaining a sharp focus on improving attendance.

p.3

3

The well-planned curriculum for personal development ensures that pupils understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships. Trips, visits, and projects, such as visiting a university and designing a magic fridge to feed homeless people, enhance the curriculum. These experiences provide pupils with a rich set of opportunities they may not otherwise access.

p.3

3

The school is realistic that there is much to do to restore the school’s standing in the local community. Relationships with some parents and carers are fragile because of the many changes that have happened over recent years.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Assessment in some foundation subjects is at an early stage of development. This means teachers do not always know how well pupils are progressing through the curriculum. As a result, teachers are not always able to identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge. The school should make sure teachers use a consistent and effective approach to assessment.  The school does not ensure that some pupils with SEND receive the precise support they need. This hinders the progress that these pupils make. The school should ensure that all pupils with SEND receive the precise support they need so that all pupils with SEND can learn and achieve well. 7 and 8 November 2023

p.3

4

 The school is working closely with parents and carers to improve pupils’ attendance. However, the attendance of some pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils, is still too low. As a result, these pupils miss out on important learning. The school should strengthen further the work it is doing improve the attendance of pupils who are persistently absent.  Some parents have negative views of the school. As a result, the school does not have the universal support and trust of the wider school community. The school should continue to work develop effective relationships with parents, so that they understand and are supportive of the school’s aims andwork.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

or to 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.4

How can I feed back my views?

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

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 7 and 8 November 2023

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 19 and 20 November 2019

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not make use of alternative provision.

p.5

Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgment about the quality of a school’s education provision. This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, science and history. For each deep dive, the inspectors met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, spoke to teachers, spoke to some 7 and 8 November 2023

p.5

6

pupils about their learning and looked at pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to a sample of pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at curriculum plans and spoke to leaders about some other subjects, including personal, social and health education, art and geography.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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.  Inspectors met the headteacher, senior leaders, support staff, members of the academy improvement board and representatives from the trust.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour during lesson visits, lunchtime, playtime and during a visit to the school’s breakfast club.  Inspectors reviewed a range of documentation provided by the school, such as

p.6

6

minutes of academy board meetings, the school self-evaluation form, school improvement documents and information relating to pupils’ attendance and behaviour.  Inspectors considered the responses made by parents to Ofsted Parent View, Ofsted’s online questionnaire, including the free-text responses. Inspectors also reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online staff questionnaire. Inspectors met with staff to discuss their workload and well-being. During the inspection, the inspectors met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to them informally at social times.

p.6

Inspection team

Jo Nutbeam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Tracy Warner Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 November 2023

p.6

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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.7

7

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

p.7

7

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

p.7