Quilters Junior School

Inspection of a school judged outstanding for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Quilters Junior School Laindon Road, Billericay, Essex CM12 9LD

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Inspection dates: 19 and 20 November 2024

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Every pupil is given the opportunity to excel at Quilters Junior School. Pupils achieve to a very high standard academically. They develop into mature, confident young people. Every pupil is taught to be a ‘true Quiltonian’ in all that they do.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are safe and happy. They love to learn. Pupils in all year groups demonstrate a real thirst for knowledge. They talk enthusiastically and confidently about what they learn. Pupils know their education at school prepares them well for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils socialise positively with each other. Pupils enjoy a range of activities in the playground. They join in joyfully with games, such as chess, ping pong and hoopla. No one is left out. Pupils look out for each other and care deeply for those around them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The ‘Quilters Quest’ means that all pupils complete a range of additional character- building activities in their time at the school. Visiting the local care home, raising money for charities, and sharing their learning on ‘Quilters TV’ are just some of the rich and carefully chosen opportunities that pupils have. Pupils develop empathy and respect for the older generation by training as ‘dementia friends’ and writing to their inter- generational pen pals.

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

The school is relentless in its drive to provide the best possible education for all pupils. It has an excellent understanding of what this looks like, and how to achieve it. As a result, pupils experience great success academically, socially, and emotionally at this school. 19 and 20 November 2024

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The school, working alongside the neighbouring infant school, has designed a curriculum which identifies the knowledge and vocabulary pupils learn year on year. Staff teach the curriculum with real expertise. By revisiting prior learning and checking what pupils remember, the school ensures that pupils learn and remember the key facts across each topic. Over time, pupils connect their learning and develop a depth and breadth of knowledge. Pupils, including those pupils who are disadvantaged, achieve well across different curriculum subjects.

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The school ensures that reading is not an obstacle to pupils’ learning across the curriculum. Pupils’ reading ability is checked on arrival at the school. Any pupil who needs extra support receives this without delay. Well-trained adults deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme very effectively. Pupils read books matched to the sounds that they know. This means pupils catch up quickly and become fluent, confident readers. A love of reading is evident across the school.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported extremely well. Careful adaptations are made to enable pupils with SEND to learn successfully in class. Pupils with SEND achieve well and benefit from the same opportunities and experiences as their peers.

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The school’s ethos of care and support, alongside a strong culture for learning, contributes to pupils behaving exceptionally well in class. Teachers set high expectations. Pupils eagerly meet these. Learning in class proceeds without disruption.

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The school places great importance on pupils’ personal development. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe online. They develop empathy and respect for other cultures and beliefs through trips to different places of worship. Pupils speak maturely about how they keep themselves healthy. They confidently describe how they can ‘empty their stress bucket’. Pupils learn a range of strategies to look after themselves and those around them. Pupils actively contribute to their local community by running pop up restaurants or performing to local residents. Pupils are exceptionally well prepared for their next stage.

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Leaders, including governors, are highly ambitious for pupils at this school. They ensure the school continues to improve and develop over time. Staff at all levels feel appreciated. They know their well-being is always considered. Staff value the training they get to do their jobs well. Everyone at the school is proud to be part of the ‘Quilters Family’.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 19 and 20 November 2024

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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 outstanding 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 outstanding for overall effectiveness in March 2017.

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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). 19 and 20 November 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 March 2017, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Quilters Junior School is federated with Quilters Infant School, which is located on the same site. The executive headteacher and deputy headteacher work across both schools in the federation.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision for pupils.

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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 his evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspector met with the executive headteacher and other school leaders. He also met with a group of governors and a representative from the local authority. 19 and 20 November 2024

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons in a range of subjects, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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’ interest first.  The inspector considered the views of parents through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View.  The inspector gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys, as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wallace, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 19 and 20 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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