Folville Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Folville Junior School Folville Rise, Leicester, Leicestershire LE3 1EE

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Outcome

Folville 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?

Folville Junior School is a friendly and welcoming school. Pupils enjoy their learning and are happy to come to school. They feel safe and are kept safe here. Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. As a result, they work hard and achieve well across the curriculum. By the end of Year 6, pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their education. Pupils talk with confidence and enthusiasm about their learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Relationships between staff and pupils are respectful and positive. Pupils are taught to respect each other’s differences. They learn to take responsibility for their own behaviour and behave well. Pupils say that there are trusted adults they can talk to if they have a problem. They say that if bullying happens, staff deal with it well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school offers pupils a wide range of experiences. The programme for personal development broadens pupils’ horizons and develops their character during their time at this school. Pupils take part in performances, for example ‘Folville’s Got Talent’. They learn how to play musical instruments, such as the violin, flute and ukulele. Many pupils take part in sporting tournaments for football, cross-country and athletics.

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that clearly identifies what pupils need to learn and when. For example, in English carefully considered steps in learning enable pupils to develop their reading and comprehension skills. By Year 6, most pupils are fluent readers. Books are available both inside and outside of classrooms for pupils to enjoy. The school has prioritised writing as an area for development. Staff have received training so 3 and 4 December 2024

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that they are able to teach writing in a more structured way. As a result, pupils apply what they have learned in their reading lessons about grammar, punctuation and descriptive writing in their written work more effectively.

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Teachers identify pupils who may be falling behind in their reading. These pupils receive extra support to catch up. Pupils who are new to the school, and to the country, are taught how to read using the school’s phonics programme. Phonics sessions are highly structured and staff deliver these well.

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The school ensures that all subject curriculums enable pupils to acquire and develop subject-specific skills and knowledge. For example, in geography, pupils learn about both physical and human geography as well as climate change. Most staff have strong subject knowledge. They check pupils’ learning regularly to identify any gaps in their knowledge and address any misunderstandings. However, in some subjects, the planned curriculums are not implemented in line with leaders’ expectations. As a result, teaching does not sharply focus on the key knowledge and skills pupils need to learn.

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The school ensures that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. It seeks appropriate advice from external agencies to support pupils’ specific needs. Information provided to support pupils’ learning is clear, and teachers use this effectively. Teachers adapt teaching materials so that pupils with SEND can learn the same knowledge as their peers. Some pupils also benefit from a bespoke approach to meet their individual needs.

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Pupils behave well. Pupils understand that rules help to keep them safe and create an environment where they can learn. The school has effective systems for ensuring that pupils attend school regularly and on time. The school works effectively with families and external agencies to reduce the time pupils have off school. Consequently, most pupils attend well.

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The school’s offer for personal development prepares pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils have a good understanding of different faiths and cultures and explore these through the diverse nature of the school. They know that any kind of discrimination is wrong. Pupils learn how to keep themselves healthy and safe. They learn about the importance of good mental health and healthy relationships. Pupils can participate in different clubs, such as ‘stick insect club’.

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Staff are proud to work at the school. They say that leaders consider their well-being and workload. As a result, staff are able to focus on teaching. The governing body is fully informed about the school. It holds leaders to account, but also supports them to bring about improvements. The governing body fulfils its statutory responsibilities well.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 3 and 4 December 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some foundation subjects, the planned curriculums are not implemented in line with leaders’ expectations. Teaching does not sharply focus on the key knowledge pupils need to learn. Consequently, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. The school should ensure that teachers have the expertise to deliver the intended curriculum in all subjects so that pupils build the knowledge and skills they need.

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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 April 2016.

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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. 3 and 4 December 2024

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In the report, ‘disadvantaged pupils’ is used to mean pupils with 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). 3 and 4 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Chair of governing body Gareth Hutchinson

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 26 and 27 February 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 There has been a change to the headteacher since the last inspection.  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 lead inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in this evaluation of the school.  The lead inspector held meetings with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and curriculum leaders.  The lead inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the lead inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered 3 and 4 December 2024

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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 considered pupils’ behaviour at various times of day, including in lessons, around the school site and at lunchtime.  The lead inspector took account of the responses to the Ofsted online survey for staff and Ofsted Parent View for parents.  The lead inspector met with the chair of the governing body and other governors.  The lead inspector spoke with the school’s local authority school improvement adviser.

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Inspection team

Stephen Long, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 3 and 4 December 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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