High Greave Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: High Greave Junior School High Greave Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire S65 3LZ

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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Outcome

High Greave Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The acting headteacher of this school is Claire Cawthorne. This school is part of The LEARNERs’ Trust which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matt Freeston, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steve Welsh.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at High Greave Junior School learn in a calm and supportive environment. This is because the core expectations of ‘Listening, Empathy, Attitude, Respect, Neat, Effort and Ready’ are understood by everybody and are central to the school’s vision. These values create an atmosphere that supports good learning. The school has high expectations for pupils. Pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have created a school where pupils feel safe. They are taught about potential risks to their safety, both outside school and online. Pupils say that bullying is rare and behaviour is good. They have great respect for the adults in school and know they have somebody to go to if they are worried or upset.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school helps pupils to develop their understanding of different faiths and cultures. Pupils have a strong understanding of the fundamental British values. One pupil stated, ‘British values set out how people are supposed to be treated. Without them, we would not have equality, and people would not thrive.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending school. Staff are passionate and caring. Pupils are happy and are proud to belong to High Greave Junior School. The curriculum is enhanced by visits and visitors that bring learning to life. 12 and 13 November 2024

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

The school has a robust approach to identifying the starting points of all pupils in reading, writing and mathematics when they arrive in Year 3. Teachers use a variety of checks on pupils’ learning well to identify gaps in pupils’ knowledge and plan sessions to address them. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities benefit from support that meets their needs well. Pupils progress through the curriculum and learn well. On occasions, the school does not equip pupils with a sufficiently deep understanding of key concepts and associated vocabulary to enable them to learn in greater depth.

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

The wider curriculum has been carefully planned to ensure children are taught a broad range of knowledge. Pupils enjoy the curriculum and come alive when they talk about their learning in subjects such as science and art. They remember the experiences they have, for example performing in music and growing plants in science. However, in some other wider curriculum subjects, pupils do not always remember the key knowledge and skills they need. This is because they do not revisit the knowledge or practise the skills often enough to deepen their understanding.

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

The school has prioritised attendance, and its work has secured significant improvements. The attendance of pupils is seen as everybody’s responsibility. All staff are aware of the role they play. The school has worked with its community to ensure parents understand why regular attendance is important. Staff quickly identify pupils who are not in school and investigate the reasons why. They have strong systems for checking which families may need more support. As a result of their actions, more pupils are now in school more often.

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

The school has tailored a curriculum to ensure pupils are prepared for life outside school. The impact of this is evident when talking to the pupils. They have mature attitudes when discussing equality and diversity and know that everybody should be treated with respect. The school uses external agencies, including the police, to highlight the dangers of gangs and knife crime. Pupils are aware of how the behaviour system is teaching them about managing their finances in the future. For example, pupils receive ‘Dracos’ for behaving well, which they can then exchange for prizes. They talk about how they might save up for larger items or buy smaller items they need. Pupils are exposed to moral dilemmas that they discuss together as a class. Philosophy lessons provide pupils with opportunities to debate and teach pupils how to politely disagree.

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

Trust leaders know the school well. They have developed reporting structures and processes that ensure all aspects of performance are reported to trustees. Leaders at all levels speak with passion about the school and their determination and ambition for all pupils to achieve well. Staff feel part of a family. They are driven by the desire to see all pupils succeed. They say their well-being is central to every decision that is made, and they enjoy a good work–life balance.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 and 13 November 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some subjects, the school does not equip pupils with the vocabulary they need to learn more deeply. As a result, too few pupils are working at higher standards at key stage 2. The school should work with staff to better teach key concepts and the associated vocabulary so pupils have the understanding they need to learn in greater depth.  In some wider curriculum subjects, pupils do not have enough opportunities to build on previously taught knowledge. As a result, they struggle to recall some important knowledge and use it to deepen their subject-specific understanding. The school should ensure pupils are given greater opportunities to secure their knowledge consistently well across all subjects.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in June 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. 12 and 13 November 2024

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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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Headteacher Claire Cawthorne (Acting Headteacher)

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 June 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The LEARNERs’ Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation 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 visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector spoke to the acting headteacher, the acting deputy headteacher, the trust partner and other senior leaders. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 The inspector spoke to the chief executive officer.  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 examined a range of school documents relating to behaviour and attendance, as well as leaders’ self-evaluation of the school.  The inspector considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey, Ofsted Parent View.

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Inspection team

Simon McCarthy, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 12 and 13 November 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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