Greenway Junior School

Inspection of Greenway Junior School Greenway, Horsham, West Sussex RH12 2JS

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Overall effectiveness Good

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

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Overall effectiveness Good

The headteacher of this school is Claire Williamson. This school is part of GLF Schools 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 (CEO), Julian Drinkall, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Lynne O’Reilly. 16 and 17 April 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils in this happy and friendly school proudly model their values of respect, compassion, aspiration, courage and integrity. Expectations are high for all, with particularly impressive ambition for disadvantaged pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who now thrive with strong support. Most pupils achieve well across their learning, as a result of targeted improvements driven by leaders and trustees. Pupils’ progress in reading is excellent, reflecting the school’s relentless focus. External results showed less success with writing and mathematics last year. These subjects have been enhanced to follow the strengths of the reading approach.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Well-being is prioritised by the caring staff team. Behaviour is kind and considerate from the classroom to the playground. While significant improvements have been made, some pupils still need reminders to show their very best attitudes to learning, which will help them to achieve even better.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive with responsibilities, including playground leader, sports captain, digital leader and reading ambassador. Visitors such as the police help pupils to learn about social responsibility. Pupils were enthralled by a museum visit to enrich their learning about travel in the early 20th century. The choir love singing at different locations, including a large arena, a care home and a local infant school.

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better?

Reading is central to the school’s curriculum and highly prioritised. When pupils join in Year 3, staff swiftly identify gaps in pupils’ phonics knowledge. Reading lessons equip pupils with the skills required to read well-matched books. Catch-up sessions are sharply focused, ensuring that pupils with SEND get the help they need to succeed. As a result, pupils make strong progress with reading, developing strong fluency and confidence. Pupils have previously made slower progress in writing and mathematics. The school recently introduced a writing approach built on the strengths of the reading curriculum, which is helping pupils to write with greater accuracy. As a result of focused professional development on mathematics teaching, pupils are now using and applying mathematical skills and concepts well in lessons.

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better?

At the time of the last inspection, the wider curriculum was underdeveloped. In September 2023, leaders and trustees introduced a new curriculum approach. Every subject is now precisely planned and sequenced with high ambition. Teachers are thriving with training opportunities across the trust. The school’s work to improve support for disadvantaged pupils has been a high priority. Pupils with SEND are flourishing. Leaders work closely with staff to identify support needed, which is then seamlessly embedded in classes to ensure full inclusion. Most pupils recall much of their knowledge and skills effectively across the curriculum. Teachers routinely check pupils’ understanding during lessons, mostly with precision. However, some lesson tasks are more effective than others as the new curriculum is still being embedded. 16 and 17 April 2024

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Playtime behaviour has improved significantly. Previously, there were many suspensions, but these are now exceedingly rare. Pupils who need emotional support benefit from warm relationships and effective pastoral care. In class, when tasks are precisely designed with clear expectations, pupils rise to the challenge and work brilliantly. However, some pupils need to focus better in lessons to achieve their full potential. School attendance is excellent as a result of effective actions by the school.

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Pupils’ personal development is deepened through assemblies and lessons. Talents and skills are nurtured through a wide offer of music and sports opportunities. Pupils learn about online safety, healthy relationships and a range of faiths and cultures, helping to prepare them for modern Britain.

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Leaders at all levels have driven successful changes to improve the school. Governors and trustees provide strong support. Workload and well-being are managed to ensure that staff feel happy and proud. However, some parents have not always felt involved in school life. There were unsettling changes to leadership, and the situation with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) caused challenging disruption. However, the school is doing everything possible to rebuild trust and confidence across the community. Parents say that new leaders are ‘a breath of fresh air’ who are ‘quickly implementing positive changes’. Pupils are at the heart of every decision made in this aspirational, caring and forward-thinking school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The new foundation curriculum approach was introduced in September 2023 and is not fully embedded in all classes and subjects. As a result, pupils may not securely learn and remember key content in some lessons. The school must ensure that lesson activities are designed effectively to help pupils successfully acquire skills and knowledge over time.  Some pupils do not show sustained concentration and effort in their learning. This can cause distractions for others and stop pupils from achieving highly. Teachers must ensure that clear and high learning expectations are met to ensure that all pupils are fully engaged and trying their best.

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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. 16 and 17 April 2024

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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). 16 and 17 April 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 8 and 9 February 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school became part of the GLF Schools Multi-Academy Trust in September 2022.  The current headteacher took up their post in September 2023.  In the autumn term, the school was affected by RAAC. The situation with RAAC caused significant disruption and challenges for the school.  The school currently uses one unregistered alternative provision.  The school offers before- and after-school clubs, overseen by external providers.

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Information about this inspection

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

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision. 16 and 17 April 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, the assistant headteachers, trust leaders, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the local governing body, the CEO of the trust, the chair of trustees and trustees.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, design and technology, history and science. For deep dives, inspectors 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.  Inspectors also discussed and evaluated pupils’ writing in English.  The lead inspector listened to a range of pupils read. The inspector observed catch-up interventions to learn how staff provide extra support to pupils.

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 To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 spoke to a range of pupils to learn their views about the school.  Inspectors considered the responses to the staff survey and spoke to a range of staff about their views of the school.  Inspectors spoke to a range of parents and took account of responses to the Ofsted Parent View survey and the free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Scott Reece, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Greco Ofsted Inspector 16 and 17 April 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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