Brimington Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Brimington Junior School Springvale Road, Brimington, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S43 1HF

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Outcome

Brimington 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 Nick Newberry. This school is part of the Learners’ Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Matt Freeston, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Steven Welsh.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and enjoy their learning at this welcoming and vibrant school. They engage very well in lessons and admirably fulfil the school’s high expectations of what they should achieve. Those high expectations apply to all pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ good behaviour reflects the school’s ‘Five Rs for Respect’ values. Pupils treat one another, and adults, with friendliness and courtesy. They say that they feel safe because staff are kind and caring. Pupils are confident that staff will listen and help if they have any worries. The school’s caring ethos and the strong systems for providing pastoral support endorse what pupils have said.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school promotes pupils’ wider personal development exceptionally well. Pupils readily take on extra responsibilities, including as members of the school council, members of the ‘smilers’ anti-stigma group, and as sports ‘mini leaders’. These opportunities effectively foster pupils’ understanding of qualities such as empathy, leadership and teamwork. The school’s extensive involvement in the UNICEF ‘Rights of the Child’ programme enriches pupils’ understanding of the world beyond their school and immediate locality.

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

There is a well-considered, ambitious curriculum that sets out the important knowledge and skills that pupils should learn. The school ensures that pupils with special educational 4 and 5 March 2025

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needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are able to access the curriculum and play a full part in the life of the school. This is because their needs are quickly identified and supported.

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Teachers are well trained and have secure subject knowledge. They provide interesting activities that support pupils to develop increasingly secure knowledge and skills in a range of subjects. As a result, pupils achieve well, as shown by their positive achievement in the end of key stage 2 statutory assessments. Pupils confidently talk about their current and previous learning in subjects such as science, computing and geography. They recall learning how to create a simple website and how to create music by using an app. Pupils accurately use scientific terms to describe complex concepts such as the theory of evolution.

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The school’s approach to the teaching of reading is strong, particularly for pupils with SEND. This includes providing phonics teaching for any pupils who are still in the early stages of reading. Pupils benefit from a personalised approach that is delivered by skilled staff. Consequently, over time, pupils develop very well as fluent, confident readers.

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The school has recently introduced a new writing curriculum. This has led to improvements in the overall quality of pupils’ writing. However, expectations of some aspects of pupils’ writing, such as handwriting and grammar, are not consistent. This hampers the quality of pupils’ writing. In addition, teaching is not adapted well enough to take account of pupils’ needs, particularly pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils with SEND do not achieve as highly in writing as they do in other areas of the curriculum.

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Pupils’ behaviour, and their attitudes to learning, are strong. Positive relationships enable pupils to flourish. Pupils’ attendance is typically high. There are suitable systems for supporting the small number of pupils who are frequently absent.

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The school is highly aspirational for pupils to become respectful, well-rounded young citizens. This ambition is reflected in the extensive personal development programme. Pupils learn about a range of themes, such as equalities and healthy relationships, in an age-appropriate way. They learn how to stay safe and healthy, both physically and mentally.

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The school has ensured that leadership at all levels is strong. Pupils’ best interests are at the heart of the school. The multi-academy trust provides valuable support for the school across many aspects of its work. Staff speak very highly of the training they receive, and the care shown for their workload and well-being. They are a dedicated, supportive team.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 4 and 5 March 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school’s writing curriculum is in the early stages of implementation. The impact of the revised approach on the quality of pupils’ writing is not fully realised. Pupils’ skills of transcription, and their application of grammar in writing, are not consistently strong. Additionally, in this aspect of the curriculum, teaching does not take enough account of the needs of all pupils, particularly pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils with SEND do not achieve as highly in writing as they might. The school should ensure that the writing curriculum is securely embedded to enable all pupils to develop secure knowledge and skills and achieve as highly as possible.

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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 of the same name to be good for overall effectiveness in January 2014.

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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 March 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 March 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 November 2019

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Information about this school

 The school does not make use of 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 inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and other senior and curriculum leaders. The inspector met with the chair of the local governing body. The inspector held discussions with representatives of the multi-academy trust.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of their work.  The inspector observed behaviour during lessons and at other times of the day. 4 and 5 March 2025

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 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

Christine Watkins, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 4 and 5 March 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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