Alexandra Junior School

Inspection of Alexandra Junior School Cator Road, Sydenham, London SE26 5DS

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

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The headteacher of this school is Jane Butler. This school is part of the 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. 4 and 5 February 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of all pupils. It guides them to think hard in class, care for others and achieve highly. This is reflected in pupils’ performance in national tests in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of Year 6. The school also fosters very high standards of behaviour. Pupils are polite, well-mannered and happy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn to take on responsibilities by carrying out roles that the school gives them. For example, the school council recently organised a football competition and travel explorer ambassadors encourage other pupils to care for the environment. Older pupils read stories with their younger peers and buddy with new arrivals when they join the school. Pupils regularly raise money for charity and learn about different cultures and traditions. For example, pupils in Year 6 meet pen-pals who visit from a school in Spain.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils participate fully in enrichment activities. These include Brazilian ju-jitsu, Judo, choirs and ‘inkhead’ creative writing. Pupils also have the opportunity to learn a musical instrument and to play competitive sport. Many parents and carers commented that their children are supported to develop their wider interests and to blossom here.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and broad. In some subjects, it goes beyond the expectations of the national curriculum. For example, in English pupils read a wide variety of challenging texts that include advanced vocabulary. In Year 6, pupils study Shakespeare.

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

Pupils’ knowledge of the curriculum is typically strong and secure. Teaching often emphasises and revisits important concepts across subjects. Pupils spoke confidently about how their work in subjects including music, art and science has developed over time and how they apply their prior knowledge to new learning.

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

Most pupils learn to read very well. By the time they reach Year 6, they are fluent, confident readers with a love of books. Staff regularly help pupils who need extra support with reading. They provide frequent opportunities for these pupils to practice reading new sounds and spelling unfamiliar words. In the main, this is successful. On occasions, however, a few pupils are asked to complete more advanced writing tasks before they have secured these basics. Due to this, gaps in a small group of pupils’ writing fluency persist. The school has identified rightly that this as an area for development.

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

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are supported to access the same ambitious curriculum as their peers. Staff understand pupils’ needs and ensure that they are met well in class. Ongoing professional development provides staff with the expertise that they need to ensure pupils with SEND can learn successfully.

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

Pupils’ attendance is high. The school uses clear systems to identify a small minority of pupils who attend less regularly. In the last year, the school has worked effectively with these pupils and their families to improve their attendance and support their academic achievement. 4 and 5 February 2025

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Pupils behave exceptionally well in class and between lessons. They are highly focused and show consistently excellent attitudes towards their learning. They listen to and build on others’ ideas during class discussions. Pupils develop a strong understanding of right and wrong and support each other’s well-being.

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The personal development programme is carefully planned to prepare pupils for life as they grow up. For example, in Year 3 pupils are taught how to deal with conflict and in Year 4 they learn about different stereotypes. In Years 5 and 6, pupils learn more advanced skills, such as being respectfully assertive and understanding negotiation and compromise.

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The school organises frequent activities and many outings connected to the curriculum. Year 3 learn about forces in the science museum and Year 6 learn about World War Two through immersive theatre.

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Those responsible for governance know the school and its community well. They ensure that leaders’ decisions are scrutinised regularly and that the school’s actions have a continued positive impact. They take the views of pupils and staff into account when making decisions which affect them. Staff said that leaders are mindful of their workload and well-being.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 At times, a small proportion of pupils who struggle to write fluently are given tasks in class that they do not have the knowledge to complete. This means that these pupils do not develop their writing skills as quickly as they could, sometimes hindering their learning in other subjects. The school should ensure that teaching and resources in class are routinely adapted for these pupils so that they improve their writing fluency and catch up with their peers as quickly as possible.

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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. 4 and 5 February 2025

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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). 4 and 5 February 2025

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School details

Website www.alexandra-jun.bromley.sch.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 29 and 30 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Nexus Education Schools Trust (NEST).  The school uses no alternative provision.  The headteacher is also headteacher of Manor Oak primary school, another school in the trust.

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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. 4 and 5 February 2025

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 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 inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  During the inspection, the inspectors met with the headteacher, other senior leaders and staff.  The lead inspector met with representatives from the trust and from the local governing body.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspectors also discussed the curriculum in some other subjects.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspectors: reviewed the single

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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 inspectors considered the views of parents submitted via Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. They reviewed the responses to Ofsted’s surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Guy Forbat, lead inspector His Majesty's Inspector

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Inspection team

Ogugua Okolo-Angus Ofsted Inspector 4 and 5 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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