Brushwood Junior School

Inspection of Brushwood Junior School Brushwood Road, Chesham, Buckinghamshire HP5 3DW

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

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

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding

Until November 2020, the school was exempt from routine inspection because it was judged as outstanding at its previous inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. The school has not been inspected under section 5 of the Act since March 2012. 11 and 12 June 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this school. They greatly appreciate the phenomenal education they receive, and levels of attendance and punctuality are high. The school has the highest expectations for pupils in every aspect of school life. Pupils achieve very well because they learn from expert staff who teach with clarity and precision.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary. They build incredibly positive relationships with one another and with staff. Pupils talk with such enthusiasm about school life. Classrooms are abuzz with industrious learning. Pupils broaden their horizons and develop their character during their time at this school. They work with tenacity and resilience and are proud to ‘flearn’, stating that they cannot learn if they do not fail first.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders provide pupils with rich experiences to support not only curriculum learning but also widen their life skills, such as learning to speak Slovakian and to cook. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) participate fully in school life. All pupils thrill in the range of activities available to develop their interests, including extracurricular activities, music tuition and sporting events.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent, summing up the views of many, said, ‘Pupils are nurtured and given the skills and knowledge they need to grow and learn.’

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better?

The school has a culture of aspiration and continual improvement based on the very highest expectations for all. The school and governing body work together strategically to ensure their vision is realised in every aspect of their work. The dedicated staff collectively share leaders’ commitment to excellence. Staff are exceptionally well trained and their enthusiasm for learning is infectious.

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better?

The school has built an extremely rich and ambitious curriculum. Subject leadership is strong, and the curriculum is well established. Subject content is ordered in a way that enables pupils to recall and build on previous knowledge. Assessment is used judiciously to track pupils’ progress. Pupils’ individual needs are identified swiftly, and highly effective support is put into place to ensure every moment of learning is maximised.

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better?

There is a relentless focus on reading. The library and books within are prized. Pupils access engaging and diverse texts, including Shakespeare’s Macbeth. This encourages pupils to acquire a deep and enduring love for books. Pupils who find reading difficult are identified and supported well. Staff, expert in delivering catch-up programmes, ensure pupils quickly become confident and fluent readers. As a result, pupils achieve highly and can read texts confidently. 11 and 12 June 2024

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Teachers present information clearly. They are skilled in spotting when pupils might need help to understand or link concepts to prior learning. Activities are planned well to build on prior learning across the curriculum and motivate pupils to achieve their best. The curriculum utilises the school’s grounds to provide pupils with purposeful outdoor learning experiences. Daily recap tasks ensure previously learned skills are secured in long-term memory. Pupils with SEND are provided with expert help during lessons, receiving the same ambitious offer as their peers.

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The school’s personal development programme is exceptional. Thoughtful pastoral support is highly effective. Pupils benefit from an excellent array of well-considered trips and experiences such as visits to Hazard Alley and the Ashmolean Museum, building on their learning across the curriculum. Opportunities such as ‘Junior Dukes’ provide pupils to learn important character skills such as independence and resilience. Pupils are highly appreciative of the school’s ‘Friday enrichment’ programme that provides meaningful opportunities to build on these talents and interests.

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Leaders emphasise pupils’ moral development through establishing clear routines and expectations. A culture of mutual respect can be seen in the highly positive relationships between every member of the school community. They recognise that although everyone should be treated equally, some pupils may require additional support at times. Pupils enjoy opportunities to debate wider issues such as homelessness. They develop a secure understanding of democracy, able to contrast those countries that do not adopt democratic systems. As a result, pupils acquire a mature understanding of equality, diversity and fundamental British values.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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.

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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 11 and 12 June 2024

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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). 11 and 12 June 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Sigal Duvshani-Eli

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 19 and 20 March 2012, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school manages its own before-school provision.  The school does not make use of alternative provision.

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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.  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 and other senior leaders. They also met with members of the governing body and a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and physical education. They also reviewed outcomes in art and design 11 and 12 June 2024

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and English.  For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  During the inspection, inspectors met with a range of pupils to discuss their views about the school and talked to them informally during social times.  To inspect safeguarding, inspectors scrutinised a wide range of information, including a selection of the school’s records. Inspectors spoke to staff and pupils about safeguarding and looked at how pupils learn to keep themselves safe. Inspectors spoke to the safeguarding leader about the recording and reporting of safeguarding incidents.  Inspectors met some parents to gain their views of the school. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View. They also took account of staff’s and pupils’ responses to Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Laura James, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Lorraine Greco Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 June 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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