St Peter's Church of England (VC) Junior School

Inspection of a good school: Fairfield Endowed CofE (C) Junior School Boarstone Lane, Fairfield, Buxton, Derbyshire SK17 7NA

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Outcome

Fairfield Endowed CofE (C) Junior School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a caring and inclusive school where pupils are happy and achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It provides effective support to pupils with SEND who achieve well. Pupils are proud of their successes.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and conduct. Classrooms are organised and calm spaces where pupils learn well with established routines. Pupils play together happily at social times. Most pupils respond positively to the school’s reminders about ‘good manners.’ However, some do not show respectful attitudes to others.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils flourish through the wider opportunities the school provides. The popular school clubs develop pupils’ interests and talents. Toy brick-building, football and drama clubs are some activities that pupils enjoy. The school listens to pupils’ ideas, for example, in setting up the ‘loom band’ club. Pupils are excited about the opportunity to run their own radio station.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have confidence in the school’s support for them. Pupils value being listened to. They have ‘trusted adults’ that they can share any worries with.

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

The school has a curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils to achieve well. Pupils’ learning builds well over time. The curriculum outlines what must be learned and remembered by pupils, and when. However, in some subjects, the curriculums do not take fully into account any gaps pupils may have in their knowledge when introducing new learning.

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

The curriculum is largely taught well. Information is presented clearly and questioning helps pupils learn new vocabulary. Resources are selected appropriately. However, occasionally, new knowledge is introduced too soon for some pupils. At times, staff do not 3 and 4 July 2024

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take enough account of what pupils already understand when they decide what must be taught next.

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Reading is prioritised. Pupils improve their reading fluency and comprehension over time. They benefit from hearing expressive reading, which they replicate when they read aloud. Pupils, including those with SEND, are inspired to write using the new vocabulary that they have read. The school supports pupils who struggle to read and need to catch up. Pupils benefit from consistent routines to learn new sounds. The school ensures that books are matched to the sounds that pupils are learning. The school encourages pupils to practise reading at home. Pupils are proud of their reading achievements.

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Pupils benefit from comprehensive personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education. They understand about staying safe, such as when online. They value workshops, for example, to understand the role of the police. The school provides effective pastoral support for all pupils' well-being. Support for pupils with SEND ensures that they engage well with school life.

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Pupils flourish from the trips that enrich the curriculum. For example, they enjoy visiting a museum to deepen their understanding of the Second World War. They connect their understanding of the animals seen at the zoo with their study of rainforests in geography.

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Pupils' attitudes to learning are generally positive. The school is consistent in reminding pupils about expectations to focus when learning. Pupils are proud of their many achievement badges. These include awards for good attendance. The school manages attendance well.

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Leaders, including governors, know the school well and are effective in undertaking their legal duties. Many parents and carers appreciate the good quality of education the school provides. However, some do not fully appreciate the school’s many strengths. The school provides opportunities to celebrate pupils' achievements that many parents attend, including, for example, musical performances and curriculum events.

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The staff are united in their vision for inclusive education. Staff appreciate the leadership support they receive for their well-being and workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Not all pupils show the respectful attitudes that they should. Some pupils do not consistently meet the school’s expectations about ‘good manners’. Learning is occasionally interrupted and the calm learning environment and positive ethos is 3 and 4 July 2024

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sometimes disturbed. The school should ensure that all pupils meet the school’s high expectations for behaviour and conduct.  The school is refining its new, well-sequenced subject curriculums. However, these curriculums do not consistently take account of gaps in pupils’ prior learning. Consequently, gaps in prior learning are not always addressed. The school should continue to refine the curriculum and ensure that subject curriculums address gaps in prior learning thus enabling pupils to know, remember and do more over time.  Not all staff check carefully enough what pupils have learned before moving onto new learning. As a result, sometimes new learning is introduced before pupils are ready, which can limit how well they are able to consolidate their learning. The school should ensure that all staff check pupils’ secure learning before moving on, thus enabling to pupils to build learning progressively.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2019.

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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). 3 and 4 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.fairfield-jun.derbyshire.sch.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 April and 1 May 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The proportion of pupils with SEND has increased since the previous inspection.  The school does not use the services of any alternative provision.  The school runs its own before-school club for pupils. The club is overseen by the governing body.  The school is a Church of England school with a Christian ethos. It received its Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools in November 2019.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 3 and 4 July 2024

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 The inspector met with senior leaders. She met with governors. She spoke with a representative from the local authority.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and geography. For each deep dive, the inspector 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. She listened to pupils read.  The inspector considered the curriculum in other subjects, including, science and personal, social, health and economic education.  The inspector reviewed pupils’ attendance and behaviour with school leaders.  The inspector considered the views of parents who responded to Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted’s surveys of school staff and pupils. She held discussions with staff and pupils.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single

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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.

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Inspection team

Donna Moulds, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 July 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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