Linton Heights Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Linton Heights Junior School Wheatsheaf Way, Linton, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire CB21 4XB

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Inspection dates: 12 and 13 February 2025

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Outcome

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

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Caroline Webb. This school is part of Anglian Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Jonathan Culpin and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Helen Pain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Linton Heights is a happy and harmonious community. Pupils enjoy trusting relationships with adults. There is always someone on hand to deal with any concerns should they arise. The school's well-being programme provides pupils with a better understanding of their emotions. This means pupils express their feelings confidently. Pupils show kindness and respect for one another. Pupils feel safe and well cared for.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievements. Classrooms are busy places of learning. Pupils work hard and listen attentively to their teachers. Pupils enjoy working in groups. They contribute to class discussions with their ideas and are keen to find out about new things. This means they achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many opportunities to develop their talents and interests. Music is a particular favourite of pupils. All pupils learn a musical instrument while at school. Many join the school orchestra and perform for parents and carers and local organisations. Pupils appreciate the opportunities to suggest and lead their own lunchtime clubs. This helps them to learn about responsibility and teamwork.

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

Since the previous inspection, the school has worked successfully to build an ambitious curriculum. The curriculum identifies the essential knowledge that pupils need to learn 12 and 13 February 2025

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and remember. The school's approach provides pupils with regular opportunities to apply their knowledge. The school provides pupils with subject-specific vocabulary. Pupils use technical words to explain their learning. Meaningful links within subjects help pupils to deepen their understanding. For example, in geography, pupils explained the differences between local open spaces and the rainforest. Pupils remember their learning well.

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Teachers’ subject knowledge is secure. They present information clearly, supported with high-quality resources. Teachers check pupils’ learning routinely through questioning. In the main, teachers use pupils' responses well to adapt learning. This means pupils understand what they need to do to develop their knowledge. Occasionally, these checks are not as effective. Some pupils are not ready to start new learning because they are not secure with what they need to know. When this happens, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff accurately identify when a pupil needs extra help. Carefully selected resources help pupils to access the full curriculum. For example, the use of a writing program enables pupils to record their ideas for a story.

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Reading is important at Linton Heights. The school provides additional help for any pupils who find reading difficult. These pupils follow a phonics programme to build their knowledge. Teachers make sure that the books pupils read match the sounds they are learning. This helps pupils develop their confidence with reading and catch up with their peers. Pupils develop fluency and expression while reading together in class. They are enthusiastic about the wide selection of books available in the school library. Pupils act as reading ambassadors to recommend and support their peers to choose new books. Pupils appreciate the times when adults read to them.

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Pupils behave maturely and responsibly around the school. Incidents of poor behaviour are rare. If they do occur, pupils reflect on their actions to help restore their relationships with one another.

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The personal development of pupils is a strength of the school. Pupils relish opportunities to undertake roles and responsibilities. They make important contributions to improving life at school through the junior leadership team and school council. Pupils apply for these roles providing them with an insight into the world of work. Older pupils take part in careers events to support aspirations for future life. Residential trips promote pupils' character through being independent and resourceful.

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Staff appreciate the support they receive to carry out their roles. The trust ensures all have access to high-quality professional development and training. There are clear structures that check the effectiveness of the school's work.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 12 and 13 February 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, teachers do not consistently check what pupils remember before providing new learning. This means some pupils have misconceptions and do not build their knowledge securely. The school should ensure that all staff have the expertise to identify and address any gaps or misconceptions in pupils’ 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 predecessor school, to be good for overall effectiveness in June 2013.

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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. 12 and 13 February 2025

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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 February 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school changed trusts and became a member of the Anglian Learning Trust in April 2020.  The headteacher was appointed in January 2025.  The school does not currently use any alternative provisions.  The school runs its own before and after-school care club.

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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 his evaluation of the school. 12 and 13 February 2025

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 During the inspection, the inspector met with the headteacher, deputy headteacher and other teaching staff. The inspector spoke with the CEO and two trustees. The inspector also met the trust director for inclusion.  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’ interest first.  Throughout the inspection, the inspector met with groups of staff. The inspector also considered the opinions expressed through the staff survey.  The inspector considered the views of parents expressed through the online survey, Ofsted Parent View and spoke to parents at the start of the school day.

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 The inspector spoke to pupils while they were in class, at breaktimes or in groups about their experiences of school. The inspector also considered responses to the pupil survey.

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Inspection team

Steve Mellors, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector 12 and 13 February 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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