Carlton Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Carlton Junior and Infant School Upper Road, Batley Carr, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire WF13 2DQ

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Inspection dates: 10 and 11 December 2024

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Outcome

Evidence gathered during this ungraded (section 8) inspection suggests that the school's work may have improved significantly across all areas since the previous inspection. The school's next inspection will be a graded inspection.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils do exceptionally well here. The school has extremely high expectations of pupils’ academic achievement and behaviour. Pupils rise to meet these expectations. Behaviour is exemplary. Pupils care for one another. Respect seeps through the walls of the school. Pupils are happy and feel safe; they help others to feel safe too.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision of ‘dream, aspire and achieve beyond excellence’ is alive. Pupils are ambitious, hard-working, and resilient. The school’s work on careers and offering pupils new experiences and opportunities is excellent. This includes university visits, public speaking, and community art projects. Pupils have access to a myriad of pupil leadership roles, including ‘prime minister,’ ‘subject ministers’ and ‘ambassadors.’

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What is it like to attend this school?

The curriculum is inspiring. It is rich in knowledge and expertly delivered. This high- quality provision extends to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The school keeps a keen eye on pupils who may struggle for a variety of reasons and intervenes accordingly. Sometimes, this means additional one-to-one programmes. At other times, this includes confidence-building activities, such as outdoor education. Such is the quality of pastoral care and provision in classrooms that pupils leave Carlton very well prepared for the next stage in their education.

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

The school prioritises reading. Teachers and teaching assistants follow the phonics programme to the letter. They deliver it successfully and have been well trained. Children 10 and 11 December 2024

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in the early years start to learn to read from the very beginning of Reception. As pupils develop their phonics knowledge, teachers use regular checks to spot gaps in pupils’ understanding. Across their time at school, pupils become avid and fluent readers. The standards that they reach are some of the highest seen nationally. Leaders support pupils to develop a love of reading. The new school library, designed by pupils, is an oasis of calm.

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Teachers support pupils who speak English as an additional language highly effectively. This is the case both for phonics and subjects across the curriculum. These pupils develop their English skills rapidly and achieve highly. The school offers some excellent programmes to help parents to support their children. These take place in Urdu and other home languages when needed.

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Other subjects are equally well considered and implemented. The mathematics curriculum is expertly and consistently delivered. Pupils achieve extremely well in mathematics. In other subjects, such as art and French, pupils develop their knowledge well. The curriculum is taught extremely well. Teachers check what pupils know and can do with precision. They then change their questioning or tasks to help pupils move further on in their learning.

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These strengths are also present in early years. Here, phonics, mathematics and personal, social and health education are taught in more formal groups. Throughout early years, adults think carefully about the vocabulary they use and the questions they ask. This helps to develop children’s oracy.

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Teachers ensure that lessons are well adapted for pupils with SEND. Staff are quick to identify when pupils need support to develop their stamina or learning skills. These needs are addressed in lessons and through different programmes.

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Pupils’ behaviour is excellent. Staff create an atmosphere that encourages pupils to be kind, caring and thoughtful. Pupils take responsibility for ensuring that the school is a harmonious and safe place. Leadership opportunities are extensive. Each subject has a pupil minister who ensures that the subject has a high priority at school. ‘Peace Pals’ ensure that pupils have someone to play with. They make sure that if there were ever any unkind words spoken that this would be sorted.

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School leaders are highly ambitious. Pupils have access to opportunities delivered from school that are now being replicated nationally. For example, pupils access public speaking online platforms and attend preventative police workshops to mitigate the risks they may encounter. This is developing pupils’ character and empathy. Provision for pupils’ personal development is exceptional. They learn to respect other cultures and faiths. They know how to stay safe, including online. Leaders notice any potential themes that need additional time in school and ensure that these are covered in an age-appropriate way.

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Leaders and governors have ensured that the quality of education on offer has continued to improve. Achievement is exceptional. In addition, pupils’ attendance has also improved substantially. This is due, in part, to the work that leaders are doing with families and the 10 and 11 December 2024

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community linked to leave of absence. The school is a harmonious community. Members of staff say that they feel well supported by leaders.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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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 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 2012.

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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 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 10 and 11 December 2024

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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). 10 and 11 December 2024

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 10 and 11 December 2019

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Information about this school

 The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school offers before- and after-school childcare.

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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 this evaluation of the school.  The inspector spoke to the headteacher, the deputy headteachers and the middle leader. He also spoke to the school improvement partner. He spoke to members of the governing body. The inspector spoke to groups of teachers and pupils.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in classrooms, around the school and at lunchtime. The inspector spoke with pupils about their views of the school and their learning, behaviour, and safety, where possible. 10 and 11 December 2024

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 The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. This included comments received via the free-text facility.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some 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’ interests first.

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Inspection team

Michael Wardle, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 10 and 11 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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