Duncton CofE Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Duncton Church of England Junior School Willett Close, Duncton, Petworth, West Sussex GU28 0LB

p.1

Outcome

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

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school. They work and play together happily, showing respect to each other and the staff. Adults check pupils’ well-being frequently and thoughtfully. This helps to ensure that pupils feel safe and are ready to learn. One parent echoed the views of many others saying: ‘My children feel confident, happy and are thriving in their learning.’

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for what all pupils can achieve, regardless of their needs. Pupils learn well across the curriculum. As a result, they deepen their understanding and learn relevant skills across a range of subjects.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has clear and high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Pupils conduct themselves well in lessons and around the school. Learning takes place without interruption. Relationships between pupils and staff are positive, with pupils listening carefully to, and acting swiftly on, staff’s requests and support.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff know pupils very well. The school has developed an impressive programme to support pupils’ individual needs and wider development. The pastoral care provided by the school is extensive and valued by pupils and parents. Pupils develop their understanding of how to stay healthy and safe, including how to stay safe online.

p.1

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

The curriculum is ambitious and well planned. In most subjects, the essential knowledge and skills that pupils should know and develop have been identified. This knowledge has been broken down and is taught in a logical order. This helps pupils build securely on what they have learned before. In some wider curriculum subjects, the key knowledge that pupils need to gain is not identified precisely enough. Consequently, pupils do not do as well as they could in these subjects. 9 May 2024

p.1

2

Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They use this to present learning clearly. This supports pupils to achieve well, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff spot and address pupils’ misconceptions accurately. Leaders ensure that staff have the time to manage their workload successfully and focus on the most important tasks. This enables staff to design work that develops pupils’ understanding effectively, alongside the key skills they need.

p.2

2

The school prioritises teaching pupils to read. Staff have the in-depth knowledge that they need to teach phonics and reading. Staff assess pupils’ reading ability accurately when they join the school. This enables staff to make sure that pupils access books that match their phonics knowledge, helping to develop their fluency. Phonics is taught in Year 3 where needed. If pupils fall behind, effective support is put in place that helps them to catch up rapidly. Reading is promoted throughout lessons and at different times in the school day. For example, staff read stories to pupils very regularly.

p.2

2

The school makes sure that pupils with SEND and their needs are identified accurately. The way that the curriculum is delivered is adapted so that this group of pupils can be successful. Staff provide effective support during lessons so that pupils with SEND achieve well. The school works with external agencies closely to support pupils with any barriers to learning that they face.

p.2

2

The school’s clear rules and routines help to create calm classrooms in which pupils focus on their learning. The school’s values link closely to its religious ethos. They are used to provide a clear direction for pupils on how they should conduct themselves. As a result, there is a strong and successful focus on being kind and responsible.

p.2

2

The school prepares pupils well for their future lives. Pupils take on meaningful leadership roles that help to make improvements to the school. For example, members of the school council have contributed to developing the school playground so that it encourages more physical activity. This role helps them to learn about being responsible. Pupils make positive contributions to charities. This enables them to learn about other people and how they live. One parent reflected the views of others by saying: ‘The school has an absolute laser focus on the child which results in thriving children ready for the outside world.’

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.2

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small minority of subjects, the essential knowledge that pupils should learn is not identified in sufficient depth. This means that pupils do not always achieve as well as they could, because their knowledge does not develop securely and sequentially. The school needs to make sure that curriculum planning is sufficiently clear about the 9 May 2024

p.2

3

knowledge that is most vital for pupils’ future learning so that this is taught precisely and deliberately.

p.3

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 November 2014.

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). 9 May 2024

p.3

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.4

School details

Chair of governing body Giovanni Soffietto

p.4

School details

Website www.graffhamandduncton.w-sussex.sch.uk

p.4

School details

Date of previous inspection 20 November 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.4

Information about this school

 This is a Church of England voluntary-controlled primary school. The last inspection of the school’s religious character took place in January 2017. The next inspection will be within eight years of that inspection.  The school does not make use of any alternative provision.  The school is federated with a nearby infant school.

p.4

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors completed deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. As part of the deep dives, the inspectors met with the subject leaders to discuss the curriculum, visited lessons, met with teachers and looked at pupils’ work. The inspectors also looked at the curriculum and pupils’ work in some other subjects. 9 May 2024

p.4

5

 The inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher and other school leaders and members of staff.  An inspector spoke with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors.  The lead inspector spoke with a representative from the local authority and the diocese.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors reviewed the single central record and took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils. They also considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons. They spoke with groups of pupils about their experiences at school. They also considered the views of 25 pupils through Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  Inspectors spoke with staff about their workload and well-being. They also considered the views of nine staff shared through Ofsted’s online staff survey.

p.5

5

 An inspector spoke with some parents. The inspection team considered the 30 responses to Ofsted Parent View. This included the 25 free-text responses.

p.5

Inspection team

Richard Blackmore, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

p.5

Inspection team

Justin Bartlett Ofsted Inspector 9 May 2024

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