Reedings Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Reedings Junior School Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire CM21 9DD

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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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What is it like to attend this school?

Reedings Junior School is a welcoming and nurturing school with a strong sense of community. Pupils learn and achieve exceptionally well. They are incredibly proud to belong to this inspiring school. Pupils enjoy their learning. The ‘aiming high’ mantra set by adults is risen to every day by everyone. Adults’ expert help also substantially benefits pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have very positive relationships with all adults and eagerly cooperate. They trust adults in the school to help them if they need it. Pupils and families receive high levels of pastoral care. Pupils are safe and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy debates about the school values and fully recognise the part they play in ‘aiming high together’. Their leadership skills are developed as junior leadership team members, peer mediators, eco-leaders or digital leaders. Pupils value having a say in how they can make a difference at this school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take part in several inter-school sport competitions and music festivals. They learn to play a musical instrument. Performing in talent shows is popular. Visits from the police help pupils understand about right and wrong. Pupils are also taught how to stay safe online.

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

Leaders have ensured that the school’s curriculum sets out explicitly what individual pupils must know and be able to do in all subjects. Leaders have planned this learning so that it helps pupils to build on their prior knowledge and skills. Leaders know their pupils’ specific needs very well, and the curriculum design has been matched to meet these needs effectively. 26 and 27 March 2024

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Teachers have a very secure understanding of the school’s curriculum. They have strong subject knowledge, and many are experts in their area. Pupils’ thinking and understanding are developed consistently well by teachers’ skilful checking and questioning. This ensures that any misconceptions or gaps in learning are quickly identified and addressed. Teachers routinely revisit pupils’ previous learning. This helps pupils to know more and learn more. As a result, pupils meet the curriculum aims successfully and consistently.

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Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND participate in and benefit from accessing the same ambitious curriculum as their classmates. Teachers use their detailed knowledge of pupils to successfully adapt activities for those who need additional help. Leaders make sure that specialist advice from professionals is understood by staff. Staff use this advice to provide bespoke support to pupils effectively, where required. This means that pupils with SEND achieve highly from their starting points.

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Reading is prioritised. Staff teach the reading and phonics programmes systematically and with precision across the school. Pupils who find reading tricky get timely and expert help to ensure they catch up quickly and become fluent readers. As a result, pupils learn to read very well. Pupils love reading as it captures their imagination and develops their creativity. They regularly read books that they have requested in the classrooms’ ‘wishing wells’.

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Well-trained staff help pupils to manage their emotions and feelings successfully. Pupils behave extremely well. This means that all pupils can focus fully on their learning. Pupils move around the school calmly and with respect for others and the school environment. Pupils all know the school rules and routines and play very well together.

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Pupils’ personal, spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is proficiently and deliberately woven throughout the curriculum. The school’s motto of ‘everyone is welcome here’ deepens pupils’ understanding of celebrating and accepting difference. Pupils have a sound understanding of democracy played out in the many elections to responsible positions in the school.

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Staff are very proud to work at the school. They are positive about leaders’ support and can see how their well-being and workload have been considered. They appreciate being listened to and feel they are all part of a ‘fantastic team’.

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Governors have a very clear understanding of their role and duties. They fulfil them very well, providing highly effective challenge and support to leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 26 and 27 March 2024

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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 May 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). 26 and 27 March 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 1 May 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative education 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.

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Information about this inspection

 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 headteacher, the deputy headteacher and the special educational needs coordinator. The inspector also met with members of the governing body and the school effectiveness adviser from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives into reading, history and music. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons and spoke to teachers and pupils. The inspector looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector observed pupils reading to a familiar adult. 26 and 27 March 2024

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 The inspector also observed pupils’ behaviour throughout the school day, including during lesson visits, at breaktimes and at lunchtimes. The inspector spoke to groups of pupils about their views on behaviour and the wider experiences they receive at school.  The inspector looked at a range of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation and improvement plan, attendance information, wider curriculum documents, external professionals’ reports and minutes of the governing body meetings.  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 views of 33 staff who responded to Ofsted’s staff survey were considered.  The 143 responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View, were also considered,

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as well as the 143 free-text comments and the 225 pupil responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Ruth Brock, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 26 and 27 March 2024

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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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