Beulah Junior School

Inspection of Beulah Junior School Beulah Road, Thornton Heath, Surrey CR7 8JF

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 Good 18 and 19 June 2024

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a welcoming culture. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel valued. Staff know their pupils well and have developed very positive working relationships. As a result, pupils are happy and safe in school.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well during lessons and around the school’s site. Clear systems are in place to support staff on the rare occasion that any low-level disruption takes place. Pupils are confident, polite and kind to each other.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders have developed a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, the school has not made sure that the quality of education is consistently strong. This means that pupils do not develop their knowledge and skills routinely well in many subjects. As a result, pupils are not fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have access to a range of wider opportunities. These include a variety of sports and music clubs. All pupils attend various outings every year including visits to museums, places of worship and outdoor pursuits centres. They can also take on positions of responsibility which contribute to the school community. Pupils can become prefects and members of the student council.

p.2

better?

All pupils, including pupils with SEND study an ambitious curriculum. Leaders have identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn. The curriculum is designed to build pupils’ knowledge progressively over time. For example, in mathematics, pupils in Year 3 learned how to add fractions with the same denominator. Pupils use these skills in Year 4 to add and convert improper fractions confidently.

p.2

better?

Teachers generally have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly. However, the school’s curricular aims are not consistently implemented in some subjects. For example, activities in lessons do not routinely ensure that pupils practise and master what they are learning in sufficient depth. Opportunities are missed to embed and consolidate learning. This means that pupils do not routinely retain the knowledge that they have learnt. While the school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND accurately, teaching sometimes does not support these pupils to achieve curricular aims successfully.

p.2

better?

Systems to check pupils’ understanding and address misconceptions are not securely in place. As a result, pupils move on to new content before they have a secure understanding of prior learning. This means that pupils have gaps in their understanding across the curriculum. In 2023, pupils’ outcomes in national tests were significantly below national averages. Changes to the curriculum have been introduced recently, but these have not become embedded to secure improved outcomes. 18 and 19 June 2024

p.2

3

There is a strong focus on reading. Staff identify pupils who are weaker readers when they join the school. They provide effective support for these pupils to ensure that they learn to decode and blend phonic sounds confidently and increase their reading fluency. The staff who deliver the interventions are skilled at supporting the weakest readers in the school.

p.3

3

There is a strong emphasis on developing pupils’ passion for reading. Pupils read a wide variety of books daily. Staff also read to pupils every day. As a result of this support, pupils develop their reading skills well and become fluent readers by the time they leave school.

p.3

3

Pupils largely demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. Systems to manage behaviour are clear and effective and staff use these consistently. Leaders have clear and systematic procedures in place, including for attendance. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure that pupils attend school regularly.

p.3

3

Leaders have designed a well-considered personal development programme. This builds pupils’ knowledge of how to stay safe and healthy in an age-appropriate manner. Pupils demonstrate strong knowledge of what they have learned, including potential online risks. A number of external speakers regularly visit the school to speak to pupils to support this programme. This includes talks from the police and the NSPCC.

p.3

3

Staff have access to professional development opportunities. However, there is variability in the consistency of teaching across the school. Leaders have developed positive relationships with parents. They offer several parental sessions on a range of themes including online safety. Governors understand the strengths and priorities of the school.

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that pupils’ understanding is routinely checked, and any misconceptions identified during lessons. This means that across the curriculum, pupils have gaps in their knowledge and are not fully ready to learn new content. The school should ensure that all teachers check pupils’ learning and understanding carefully and address any gaps in pupils’ knowledge.  Sometimes, activities in lessons are not well selected to help pupils to practise and master subject-specific knowledge and skills. This limits pupils’ development and retention of important subject content. The school should ensure that activities are well selected to deepen and strengthen all pupils’ subject-specific understanding. 18 and 19 June 2024

p.3

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). 18 and 19 June 2024

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Date(s) of previous inspection 2 and 3 October 2018, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school does not use any 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 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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, members of the senior leadership team and a range of staff. They also met with members of the governing body, and a representative from the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, computing and geography. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, discussed with 18 and 19 June 2024

p.5

6

pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The curriculum in other subjects was also considered.  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 considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

p.6

Inspection team

Simon Conway, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Lisa Smith His Majesty's Inspector 18 and 19 June 2024

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