Joydens Wood Junior School

Inspection of Joydens Wood Junior School Birchwood Drive, Wilmington, Dartford, Kent DA2 7NE

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Inspection dates: 28 and 29 January 2025

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Paul Redford. This school is part of Nexus Education Schools Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Paula Farrow, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ann Golding. There is also an executive headteacher, Allison Morris, who is responsible for this school. 28 and 29 January 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and feel safe in school. They enjoy school and the learning opportunities across the curriculum. Since the last inspection, the school has taken swift action to make significant changes to the curriculum. However, in some subjects these developments are still in their infancy. Pupils have gaps in their learning which is impacting on their achievement.

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What is it like to attend this school?

School values are at the heart of school life. Pupils know these values well and are proud to demonstrate them. For example, understanding that we are all different and appreciating other people’s beliefs and opinions. Pupils demonstrate their confidence to speak out and share ideas. For instance, in Year 4 computing, pupils engaged in a discussion about artificial intelligence. Behaviour across the school is positive, pupils focus on their learning and work well together. If pupils have any worries or concerns, they know adults will listen to them and provide support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely proud of their contributions to the school community. They relish the opportunity to apply for the wide range of leadership roles. Pupil parliamentarians share the range of initiatives they have helped to implement. For instance, the organisation of a larger library at the heart of the school. Eco leaders encourage pupils to take care of the school environment and consider the impact of how they travel to school.

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

The new curriculum enables pupils to study a broad range of subjects. The curriculum supports teachers to adapt learning to meet the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The sequence of learning is clear, and pupils build knowledge over time. However, this work has not had time to fully impact on what pupils know and remember. Some pupils have gaps in their learning. The gaps in knowledge are reflected in the published outcomes for the school. The school has introduced more careful checks of pupils’ progress to enable gaps in learning to be addressed.

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

A focus on training has ensured staff have secure subject knowledge. Teachers explain concepts well and show pupils how to learn. In mathematics and reading lessons, teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to check and recall prior learning. This practice is not consistent across all subjects. Adaptations to lessons enable pupils with SEND to access learning. For example, adults show calculations and provide equipment to help pupils visualise the calculation.

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

Writing is not taught consistently across the school. Pupils are not developing cursive handwriting, and some pupils are not forming letters correctly. This is hindering the fluency of writing across the curriculum. Pupils are not showing the extent of their knowledge in their writing.

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

The school has placed a high priority on developing reading. Daily phonics lessons support pupils at the early stages of reading. Pupils read books matched to their level of understanding. Staff have received training, and the phonics scheme is taught 28 and 29 January 2025

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consistently. Pupils are sounding and blending effectively. Reading fluency is a focus for some pupils who receive targeted support. Pupils immerse themselves in whole class reading of texts. Pupils understand new vocabulary and have greater comprehension of what they read. They enjoy reading.

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The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning. This supports pupils to behave well. Teachers use the school values to support positive attitudes to learning, for example developing resilience. Pupil attendance is a school priority. Leaders carefully track pupil absence and provide effective support to families. The school is exploring ways to develop curriculum enrichment opportunities. Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning through history workshops, but they would like more trips and experiences. There are a wide range of sporting activities and pupils are proud to represent the school at local tournaments.

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Leaders have worked closely with the trust and local committee board to identify areas of development and bring about swift improvements. They are ambitious in their strategic developments for the school and want to ensure pupils experience a secure learning journey as they move through the school. Staff value the learning and support from leaders and the trust. They enjoy the collaborative approach of the staff team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum is not fully supporting some pupils to develop handwriting skills, particularly with correct letter formation. As a result, their learning in other subjects, where writing is integral, is not as successful as it could be. The school should review and strengthen its approach to developing these foundational skills so that pupils develop accurate and fluent handwriting.  In some foundation subjects, assessment is not used precisely to check what pupils learn and remember. In these instances, pupils do not consistently develop the same depth of knowledge and understanding as they do in other subjects. The school should ensure that staff consistently identify misconceptions and gaps in pupils’ learning and use this information to inform their teaching.  The design of tasks does not enable pupils to fully achieve the aims of the foundation curriculum. As a result, pupils’ written work in these subjects is not as strong as it

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

should be. The school should carefully develop pupils’ writing skills across the curriculum so they can demonstrate the depth of their subject knowledge. 28 and 29 January 2025

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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). 28 and 29 January 2025

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School details

Website www.joydens-wood-junior.kent.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 7 and 8 June 2022, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school joined the Nexus Education Schools Trust in March 2023.  The school does not currently use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade. 28 and 29 January 2025

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 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the second routine inspection that the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the executive headteacher, headteacher, other leaders and a range of staff. They also met the chair of trustees, CEO, senior education lead and the local governance committee.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and art. Activities included discussions with leaders and teachers about the curriculum, visiting lessons, speaking with groups of pupils about their learning, and a scrutiny of pupils’ work. Inspectors also considered the curriculum in other subjects.  Inspectors checked the school’s policies and records, including those related to

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behaviour and pupils’ wider development.  Inspectors considered the responses of parents, pupils and staff to Ofsted’s online surveys.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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.  Inspectors held meetings with staff and spoke with pupils during social times. They observed pupils’ behaviour across the school, including as they arrived and left school.

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Inspection team

Sacha Husnu-Beresford, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Liz McIntosh Ofsted Inspector 28 and 29 January 2025

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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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