Donnington Wood CofE Voluntary Controlled Junior School

Inspection of Donnington Wood CofE Voluntary Controlled Junior School Leonard Close, Winifreds Drive, Donnington, Telford, Shropshire TF2 8BH

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Inspection dates: 22 and 23 October 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Good 22 and 23 October 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Donnington Wood Juniors is a caring school. It is a place where pupils develop close friendships and are kind to each other. Pupils understand the importance of perseverance and maintaining hope when things become challenging. Parents know that their children are happy and safe. Many are grateful for the support they receive when they need help.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has worked effectively to raise expectations of what pupils can achieve. There is further work to do to ensure that this is the case, but leaders, supported by a dedicated team, now know exactly how to achieve this.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well and know the importance of good listening and showing respect. They understand what bullying is and feel confident that trusted adults will help should they feel threatened. Pupils recognise that everybody is different and that this should be celebrated. They welcome those who arrive new to the school and make sure that they feel included and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils understand the importance of positive mental and physical health. The school makes good use of technology to support pupils’ understanding of the wider world and to access learning beyond the classroom. They love exploring ancient civilisations through virtual reality and enjoy a range of educational trips and visits.

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

Since the last inspection, the school has redesigned the curriculum to ensure it is ambitious for all pupils. They have provided high-quality training to all staff on how to deliver this curriculum. The school has worked well with external partners to check and improve aspects of their work. Leaders, including governors, are aware that there is still work to do to ensure that every pupil achieves well.

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

Many subjects now include learning that builds on what pupils know and can do. Staff check pupils’ understanding of their learning and pick up on mistakes as they happen. In most subjects, pupils can explain how what they have learned previously is helping them now. The school has recently introduced a new approach to supporting pupils at the early stages of writing. This is not yet being delivered consistently well. Some pupils are unable to form letters, spell or write sentences at an age-appropriate level. This affects their ability to write fluently.

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

An identified area of improvement is mathematics. Pupils are learning the basic number facts well and are becoming more confident when rehearsing written calculation methods. Despite the school identifying that more opportunities to develop verbal and written reasoning are needed, more work is required. A lack of independent practice is preventing some pupils from deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts.

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

Pupils develop a love of reading. They enjoy it most when adults read stories to them. The school provides books from different periods and cultures. They include characters and storylines that pupils can relate to. Most pupils read books that are well matched to 22 and 23 October 2024

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their reading level. Those who fall behind with reading are supported to keep up with their peers. While outcomes at the end of key stage 2 remain low, an increasing number of pupils are able to read fluently.

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The support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has improved. New leaders have worked effectively to change how they identify and assess pupils who have additional needs. The school has delivered training on how to support pupils who find learning difficult. However, it remains the case that some pupils with SEND do not have the necessary adaptations made to enable them to access learning. Some pupils are expected to complete work that is not well matched to their needs.

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The school’s work to improve the attendance of pupils who were previously away from school too often is a real strength. It has supported parents to understand the importance of their children being in school each day. It has helped families by providing extra provision and support and this has improved some pupils’ attendance significantly.

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Pupils welcome visitors to their school and are courteous. They are proud of the school and speak eloquently about their wider experiences. They learn about other cultures and faiths and that being a good citizen is about giving to those in need of their support.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Despite the school identifying that more opportunities to develop verbal and written reasoning are needed, more work is required. A lack of independent practice is preventing some pupils from deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts. The school should provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning skills in mathematics with greater independence.  The school’s new approach to supporting those at the early stages of writing is not being delivered consistently well. This means that some pupils are not being supported to form letters, spell, and write sentences at an age-appropriate level. The school should ensure that the expected approaches for writing are applied by all staff.  Some pupils with SEND do not have the necessary adaptations made to enable them to access learning. This means they are expected to complete work that is not well matched to their needs. The school should ensure that all staff consistently adapt

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

learning to support pupils with SEND to make progress. 22 and 23 October 2024

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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). 22 and 23 October 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 18 and 19 April 2023, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school does not currently use any alternative provision.  The school operates before-school club provision.  This Church of England school is a member of the Diocese of Lichfield. Its last statutory inspection under section 48 of the Education Act was in January 2024. The next inspection will take place within five years of this date.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 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. Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision. 22 and 23 October 2024

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 Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with a range of leaders, including those responsible for the curriculum, teaching and learning, behaviour, attendance, personal development and safeguarding.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and computing. 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. The lead inspector also heard a selection of pupils read.  Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects, such as English and science.  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

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the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The lead inspector spoke with the deputy director of education from the diocese.  The lead inspector spoke with the local authority school improvement partner and commissioned school improvement adviser.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body and four other governors.  Inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments from parents.  Inspectors also evaluated the responses to the staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Tony Bradshaw, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Gary Richards Ofsted Inspector 22 and 23 October 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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