Wroughton Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Wroughton Junior School Inverary Road, Wroughton, Swindon, Wiltshire SN4 9DL

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Inspection dates: 25 and 26 February 2025

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Outcome

Wroughton 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 Ashley Barrington-Wilding. This school is part of Grove Learning 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), Aaron Griffiths, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by AJ Cripps.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are ‘proud to belong’ to this welcoming school. Staff build strong relationships with pupils. Everyone is valued as an individual and well cared for. Pupils’ well-being is a high priority. Pupils trust that adults will help them if they need support. This helps pupils to feel safe. Pupils know that the school has high aspirations for their academic achievement. They are enthusiastic about learning and try hard in lessons. Most pupils achieve well.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They strive to live out the school’s values of courage, honesty and teamwork. Pupils are respectful to each other and to adults. They get along well together. Playtimes are an exciting part of the day. Pupils enjoy the many fun outside learning activities. Tennis, pogo and building with pallets in the woodland area are popular choices.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school teaches pupils to be active citizens. Pupils value the many opportunities to take on responsibilities. These include being library monitors, sports leaders and reading ambassadors. Pupils make a strong contribution to their local community. For example, they volunteer at a local care home. This work develops pupils’ character and prepares them well for secondary school. 25 and 26 February 2025

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

With the support of the trust, the school has strengthened the curriculum in recent years. The curriculum is broad and ambitious. It is planned to make sure pupils’ knowledge and skills build on what they have learned before. This work has already raised standards in reading, writing and mathematics. The school continues to refine the curriculum so that more pupils can excel, particularly disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). For example, leaders have recently adapted the writing curriculum. Pupils now have more time to practise their spelling, grammar and handwriting skills. As a result, pupils improve the fluency of their writing.

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

Pupils typically progress well through the curriculum. The school swiftly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND. Staff adjust learning and resources well to cater for pupils’ differing needs. Pupils’ misconceptions are identified quickly and addressed with useful next steps.

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

Teachers have secure subject knowledge. They explain and demonstrate new learning using well-chosen resources. For instance, in mathematics, pupils in Year 4 use number grids to understand the nine times table. Pupils develop subject-specific vocabulary well. In Year 3, for example, pupils use terms such as ‘opaque’ and ‘translucent’ to describe materials in science. In a few subjects, pupils’ learning is occasionally less well developed. Some learning activities do not help pupils to develop their knowledge well. This means that sometimes pupils do not learn to the depth that they could.

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

Reading is at the heart of the school’s work. Most pupils are fluent readers. This enables them to respond thoughtfully to a wide range of literature. The school inspires pupils to love reading. Pupils love to share their ideas in their home reading journals. The school gives effective support to pupils who need to secure their phonics knowledge. Consequently, these pupils catch up quickly.

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

Pupils know the school’s expectations for their behaviour. Well-established rules and routines help them settle to learning. The school helps pupils to identify and manage their feelings. Pupils who may struggle with behaviour receive extra help from skilled adults. Pupils’ attendance is higher than the national average and continues to improve. The school works with families to overcome barriers to good attendance.

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

Pupils’ personal development is a strength. Pupils learn how to keep safe and healthy, including online. They learn about the impact of discrimination. Pupils are respectful towards people with different beliefs and backgrounds. The school develops pupils’ interests with many clubs, including performing arts, choir and gymnastics.

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

Trustees and governors are well-informed about the school’s work. They challenge and support school leaders to improve the quality of education further. Leaders are considerate of staff’s well-being. Staff appreciate the support and training they receive. 25 and 26 February 2025

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a few subjects, some learning activities do not support pupils to achieve the aims of the ambitious curriculum. As a result, pupils do not secure and deepen their knowledge as well as they could in these subjects. The school should ensure that learning activities are used consistently well, enabling pupils to progress through the curriculum as well as the school intends.

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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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the predecessor school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2019.

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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. 25 and 26 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). 25 and 26 February 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school joined Grove Learning Trust in February 2022. When its predecessor school, Wroughton Junior School, was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good for overall effectiveness.  The school does not use 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.  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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector held discussions with the headteacher, deputy headteacher, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, groups of staff and pupils.  The inspector met with the chair of the trust board, the CEO and deputy CEO of the trust. She met with the chair and members of the local governing body. 25 and 26 February 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to curriculum leaders, 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.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments. The inspector also considered responses to Ofsted’s online staff and pupil surveys.

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Inspection team

Claire Mirams, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 25 and 26 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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