Fixby Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a good school: Fixby Junior and Infant School Lightridge Road, Fixby, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD2 2HB

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Outcome

Fixby Junior and Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Fixby Junior and Infant School is an inclusive school where all pupils can shine. It is welcoming. Pupils are very kind and supportive of each other. Older pupils act as positive role models to younger pupils through being ‘Reading Ambassadors’. Bullying is not tolerated.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Most pupils achieve well. Pupils know the school’s values, based on respect and tolerance and known as ‘The Fixby Way’. They link the values to the ‘Learning for Life’ curriculum. They demonstrate them in abundance. Pupils recognise the need to be respectful towards each other and adults. Pupils’ behaviour is calm and purposeful. They feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported throughout the school. Staff are dedicated to ensuring that all pupils can access the curriculum. Lessons are well adapted so that pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers. Pupils learn strategies to help them become independent and manage their own emotions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides many opportunities outside of the curriculum. Pupils talk excitedly about clubs including dance, archery, chess and German. They go on trips linked to learning, including visits to the beach, art galleries and the theatre. The school ensures that all pupils have a range of experiences through the ‘Fixby Passport’.

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

Reading has been prioritised. Children begin learning to read as soon as they start school. The school regularly checks how well pupils improve their reading skills. The phonics scheme is used consistently by all staff. Pupils who need additional support with reading benefit from timely and appropriate intervention. Older pupils talk confidently about the skills that are connected to reading. Pupils enjoy reading and talk about different authors 9 and 10 July 2024

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and book choices. Authors have visited the school to inspire pupils. Older pupils read to younger pupils and listen to them read in return.

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Pupils enjoy maths. They are engaged in lessons and talk confidently about the subject. They recap their previous learning every day. They remember what they have learned. Teachers frequently check pupils work, which means gaps are quickly identified and closed through targeted extra support. This fluid approach means that misconceptions and errors are dealt with immediately. Additional adults support pupils with SEND effectively. All staff receive training that helps them to develop strong subject knowledge.

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The curriculum is ambitious. The school has carefully sequenced the knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. Subject leaders know how the early years curriculum prepares pupils to be Year 1 ready. Learning in the early years includes songs, stories and rhymes. Teachers use modelling well. This ensures that pupils understand what they are supposed to learn. Pupils across school confidently and accurately use subject-specific vocabulary to discuss their learning. In art, for example, pupils are able to describe the techniques and styles of different artists. There are many opportunities for pupils to revisit prior learning. They build on existing knowledge as they learn new content.

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Assessment in reading, writing and maths informs teachers of how well pupils are doing. The school has started to assess how well pupils achieve in other subjects. This system is in its infancy.

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Teachers and leaders quickly and accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND. Pupils are supported well by adults in the school. The school is determined to ensure that pupils with SEND experience the whole curriculum and extra-curricular activities that are on offer.

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Pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to their learning. However, some pupils do not attend as often as they should. This means that some pupils are missing out on essential learning and falling behind their peers. The school challenges poor attendance and supports families where possible. This has led to some improvement; however, some pupils are still absent too often.

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The school values are threaded through thoughtfully planned wider experiences. Pupils enjoy their experiences in Forest School. They have chickens, rabbits and guinea pigs that pupils care for. Pupils grow vegetables that are used in the school kitchen. Older pupils learn about future careers as part of transition activities before they begin secondary school. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop leadership skills. They become prefects, school councillors and Woodland Leaders. Pupils take these roles seriously. They know the positive impact they have in school.

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Staff enjoy working at this school. They know the children well. Staff feel supported and believe their workload and well-being are taken into consideration. Governors support and challenge the school well. There is a shared vision that all leaders work towards together. 9 and 10 July 2024

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. This means that these pupils miss out on the quality education and the extra-curricular offer that the school provides. The school should ensure that strategies to reduce absence are effective so that some pupils attend school more regularly.  In core subjects, teachers use assessment well to identify what pupils learn and to identify gaps in their knowledge. Assessment in foundation subjects is not used as precisely. As a result, the school is not able to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and skills precisely enough. The school needs to ensure that assessment is used effectively in all subjects, thus enabling teachers to address any gaps in learning.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 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. 9 and 10 July 2024

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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). 9 and 10 July 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 9 July 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher of this school was in the same role during the last inspection of the school.  There is a before- and after-school club for pupils who attend the school.

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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.  The inspector met with the headteacher, school staff, pupils and members of the local governing body, including the chair.  The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, 9 and 10 July 2024

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visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector listened to pupils from Years 1, 2 and 3 read to a known adult.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: 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.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school, including at lunchtime. In addition, the inspector met with pupils formally and informally to hear their views.  The inspector considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses. They also looked at responses to the staff survey.

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Inspection team

Helen Haunch, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 9 and 10 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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