Belvedere Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Belvedere Junior School Mitchell Close, Belvedere, Kent DA17 6AA

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 November 2024

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The executive headteacher of the school is Louise Lynch, who is responsible for this school and the infants. This school is part of The Pioneer Academy, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Lee Mason-Ellis, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Jo Bouwens.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe in this nurturing school. Pupils build strong and trusting relationships with their teachers. Staff have high expectations for pupils. Pupils rise to these expectations. Pupils enjoy learning and achieve well. This is reflected in the improving outcomes at the end of key stage 2.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s approach to behaviour is built on values that thread through the school ethos, such as kindness and fairness. Staff consistently have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. The school is calm and orderly. Pupils know and follow the rules and routines. This is leading to a speedy reduction in the number of suspensions.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils benefit from a well-designed and highly coordinated approach to enriching pupils’ broader experiences. The school’s ‘global citizenship’ programme threads through the values, curriculum and personal development provision. This prepares pupils well for the future. They build their awareness and aspirations of the many opportunities that are available to them beyond the school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. They appreciate the lengths the school goes to in building strong community links. Parental engagement is high. Many rightly agree that the school is led with love and compassion. 12 and 13 November 2024

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

Those responsible for governance know and understand the context of the school well. Staff take brave and bold actions that are in the best interests of all pupils and the wider community. This is the driving force behind the school’s high expectations and passion for doing whatever it takes to ensure that all pupils succeed. Staff morale is extremely high. Staff feel empowered. They value the teamwork that is developing because of the increased working relationships and partnership with the infant school.

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

The school is carrying out an extensive review of the ambitious curriculum to ensure that the content is customised to represent the school’s diversity and locality. Teachers model what is being taught well. Pupils build their knowledge of subject-specific content, knowledge and skills as they move through the school. For example, pupils learn to plan scientific experiments with increasing complexity. Pupils in Year 5 use pictures of historical objects to make assumptions about how ancient civilisations lived. Staff routinely revisit important content that pupils have learned in the past.

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

The school swiftly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Leaders take appropriate measures to address and overcome pupils’ barriers to learning. This supports pupils with SEND to access learning alongside their peers. Staff have created an attractive and stimulating learning environment. They use resources skilfully to aid pupils’ deeper understanding. For example, pupils in Year 4 used mathematical equipment appropriately when exploring square numbers. On some occasions, teachers do not carefully check what pupils know and can do. When this happens, teaching is not suitably adapted to meet pupils’ needs or build on learning effectively.

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

Promoting a love of reading is central to the curriculum. Adults introduce pupils to a range of challenging texts. Staff are well trained and deliver the school’s reading programme with consistency. Pupils who need additional practice learning sounds receive the help they need to read with fluency and accuracy. Pupils apply their knowledge of spellings and grammar to the many opportunities given to writing across the different subjects.

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

The school has a rigorous focus on improving absence and reducing persistent absence. Staff ensure that pupils attend school regularly. The school often goes above and beyond in offering guidance, support and care to pupils and families in need of help. The school provides high-quality pastoral support.

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

The school places great importance on providing pupils with opportunities to learn about themselves and their community. Pupils are aware of how they can contribute to society and the world around them. They understand the importance of accepting and celebrating differences, including other cultures, religions and beliefs. Pupils are taught to be tolerant, curious and inquisitive.

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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)

 On some occasions, teachers do not carefully check what pupils know and can do. When this happens, teaching is not suitably adapted to meet pupils’ needs or build on what pupils know and can do effectively. This leads to some pupils not deepening their understanding securely. The school should ensure that all staff check pupils’ understanding carefully and make the appropriate adaptations to teaching so that pupils are fully prepared for future learning.

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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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2015.

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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. 12 and 13 November 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). 12 and 13 November 2024

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School details

Headteacher Louise Lynch (executive headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 12 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school is part of The Pioneer Academy, a Multi-Academy Trust.  The school does not make use of 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 met with the executive headteacher and head of school, the CEO, the chairs and members of the trustee and governing boards, senior leaders and a range of staff. 12 and 13 November 2024

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 The inspector carried out activities including discussions with leaders and teachers about the curriculum, visiting a sample of lessons, speaking with groups of pupils about their learning, and considered 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’ interests first.  The inspector considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty’s 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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