St Peter's Church of England Aided Junior School

Inspection of St Peter’s Church of England Aided Junior School Thornhill Road, Littleover, Derby, Derbyshire DE23 6FZ

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Inspection dates: 24 and 25 September 2024

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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The headteacher of this school is Frazer Smith. The school is part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Sarah Clark, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Sarah Hardman Charles. 24 and 25 September 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Through perseverance, courage, respect and compassion, staff and pupils are united in their aim to ‘unlock potential’. This aim is realised. It underpins all that happens at the school. It contributes to St Peter’s being the harmonious community that it is.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. This is reflected in their positive behaviour. Pupils know the importance of being ‘ready, respectful and safe’. They hold doors open for adults and each other. They make way to let each other pass in corridors. They thrive on the rewards that are on offer, including earning house points, the different coloured wristbands and being recognised in Friday’s golden assembly. Spending time with Nelson, the highly popular school dog, is always a favourite. Pupils say that poor behaviour is rare. However, when it occurs, it is dealt with quickly.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are inclusive. They look out for one another. One pupil summed up many when they said: ‘We’re an inclusive school. It doesn’t matter who you are, everyone is always included.’ Pupils have an impressive understanding of British values; they know why these are important.

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

The school supports pupils who are at an early stage of learning to read well. As pupils join, the school carries out detailed checks to identify the sounds that pupils know and are yet to learn. Teachers benefit from regular training and support. This results in the school’s phonics programme being taught well. Beyond phonics, the reading curriculum is well organised. It is taught consistently. It enables pupils to learn and read increasingly complex vocabulary and texts. Over time, pupils develop a love of reading. They read widely. The ‘reading key’ rewards motivate them to read often.

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

Over the last two years, the school has overhauled the majority of its curriculum. On the whole, the school has clearly identified the important knowledge pupils need to learn. Well-crafted plans then set out exactly what needs to be taught and when. In most cases, this helps teachers teach the curriculum effectively. However, some learning does not align with the intended curriculum. Occasionally, the resources used do not accurately support the intended learning aims. This means that pupils miss out on some of the important building blocks of knowledge they need.

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

The school has acted decisively to address the low rates of pupils’ progress reflected in 2023 national assessment outcomes. This has included introducing new strategies to address gaps in learning and to help pupils remember what they have learned. Pupils currently in the school are doing well.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) get the help that they need to learn the same curriculum as their peers. Staff are skilled at knowing when to intervene and when to step back. Pupils with SEND are fully included in the life of the school. 24 and 25 September 2024

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The school’s personal development offer prepares pupils well for life beyond school. It is underpinned by a well-planned and sequenced programme for personal, social and health education (PSHE). Pupils also benefit from a good number of extra-curricular activities, including a wide range of sports. Pupils are proud of the contribution that they make as school councillors, house captains and mini leaders.

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The number of pupils on roll has increased significantly over the last two years. More recently, the number of pupils arriving at the school who speak English as an additional language has risen sharply. While these pupils settle quickly, the school has not established a consistent approach to supporting these pupils when they first arrive.

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At many levels, leadership and management are strong. Significant improvements have been secured over a relatively short period. There is a shared sense of direction. Pupils, staff and the vast majority of parents and carers are proud of the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of cases, teaching does not align with the intended curriculum. Occasionally, the resources used do not accurately support the intended learning aims. This means that pupils miss out on some of the important building blocks of knowledge that they need. The school should ensure that all lessons and teaching materials are closely and consistently matched to the intent that is mapped out in the curriculum.  The school has not yet established a consistent approach to how pupils who speak English as an additional language will be supported when they join the school. This means that the school cannot be sure that these pupils get off to the best start possible. The school should ensure that it has a consistent strategy to support pupils who speak English as an additional language.

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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. 24 and 25 September 2024

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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). 24 and 25 September 2024

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 St Peter’s Church of England Aided Junior School converted to become an academy in March 2020. When its predecessor school, St Peter’s Church of England Aided Junior School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be inadequate for overall effectiveness.  The school is part of Derby Diocesan Academy Trust.  The school is part of the Diocese of Derby. The most recent section 48 inspection of this Church of England school, which is an inspection of the school’s religious character, took place in October 2022. The school’s next section 48 inspection will be within eight school years.  The school does not use any alternative education provision.  The headteacher and assistant headteacher took up post in September 2022.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 24 and 25 September 2024

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2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection that 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, the assistant headteacher, curriculum leaders, the special educational needs coordinator and groups of staff and pupils.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in four subjects: reading, mathematics, physical education and history. To do this, they met with curriculum leaders, visited lessons, looked at pupils’ work and met with teachers and pupils. Inspectors also spoke to leaders and looked at curriculum documentation and pupils' work in English and PSHE.  The lead inspector met with representatives of the local academy committee. He met with the chief executive officer of the trust, the deputy chief executive officer and

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representatives of the board of trustees, including the chair.  Inspectors took account of the responses to the Ofsted Parent View. An inspector spoke informally to parents outside the school. Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey. An inspector held a telephone discussion with a parent.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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 reviewed school documents, including those relating to governance, behaviour and attendance. Inspectors scrutinised leaders’ plans for improvement and their assessment of the school’s effectiveness.  Inspectors spoke informally to pupils at breaktimes, in the dining hall and on the playground. An inspector visited the school’s breakfast club.

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Inspection team

Vic Wilkinson, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Halil Tamgumus Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 September 2024

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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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