Springfield Junior School

Inspection of Springfield Junior School Kitchener Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 4DT

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The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good

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Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Springfield Junior School under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Springfield Junior School to be outstanding for overall effectiveness before it opened as an academy. Since September 2024, schools have not been awarded an overall effectiveness grade.

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The headteacher of this school is Joanne Viner. This school is part of The Children’s Endeavour 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), Daniel Jones, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Ian Scott. 4 and 5 March 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

Springfield Junior School is a happy school at the heart of its community. Pupils and their families appreciate the school’s warm welcoming ethos. The school is ambitious for what all pupils can achieve. Pupils typically rise to this ambition and achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s ‘Spring values’ are known and understood by pupils. These help to make the school a productive environment for learning. Classrooms are generally calm, orderly and focused.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and happy in school. They get along well with each other and the staff. If they ever feel worried, they know they can share how they are feeling. Pupils who need more bespoke support receive this from trained staff.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Playtime is an exciting time. Pupils access a wide range of creative play and activities. There is something for everyone from the ‘sports zone’ to ‘the arcade’ to den building. These activities give a structure which enables pupils to thrive. They develop both their imagination and confidence.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Enrichment experiences broaden pupils’ horizons. Educational visits are linked to the curriculum, such as places of worship, while older pupils develop their life skills and independence through residential trips. All pupils, including those who are disadvantaged, gain these same opportunities.

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

After an unsettled period, the new school leadership team have established clear systems and processes. This has resulted in the school being a positive place to learn.

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

The ambitious curriculum contains the knowledge pupils are intended to learn. In many subjects, pupils confidently talk about their learning and demonstrate their knowledge in their work. In some subjects though, this is less secure. Some curriculum thinking is not as precise. In these subjects, the key knowledge pupils learn is not as clear as it could be. This means pupils do not always secure the most important knowledge. They cannot consistently recall and build upon previous learning in these subjects.

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

Reading is a priority. Trained staff deliver the school’s chosen phonics programme effectively. This provides strong support to any pupil who joins the school and needs extra help. Pupils become fluent, confident readers. Once pupils are ready to move on, they learn a structured reading curriculum and access a range of diverse texts. Pupils become competent readers and develop an understanding of the wider world.

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

The curriculum is typically delivered well. Teachers revisit previous learning and build on this when they introduce something new. They check how well pupils are learning by questioning pupils and giving them opportunities to practise. This approach is generally 4 and 5 March 2025

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very effective. Most pupils focus well on their learning and achieve well. On occasion, some pupils are left waiting for their learning to be moved on. Staff miss opportunities to further their learning. These pupils do not always extend their learning as well as they might.

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The school are equally ambitious for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers adapt learning which supports many pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as their peers. Some pupils need something more individual, this is provided. Pupils with SEND achieve well from their different starting points.

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Staff manage behaviour clearly and consistently. Positive relationships are at the heart of this approach. Staff use the school values to guide pupils to make the right choices in their learning. When a pupil makes a wrong choice, pupils reflect on their behaviour and are taught to make a better decision next time.

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Pupils develop a sound understanding of the world around them. They know how to keep themselves safe, including online. Pupils respect different cultures and beliefs and understand the importance of being tolerant to different points of view. They are suitably prepared for life in modern Britain.

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Those responsible for governance offer suitable support and challenge to school leaders. Staff are proud to work at this school. They feel well supported around their workload and well-being and appreciate the training and support they are given to develop in their roles.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In some curriculum subjects, the core knowledge pupils are intended to learn is not precisely identified. This means, on occasion, some pupils do not confidently recall the most important curriculum content. The school should continue to reflect and review their curriculum to ensure pupils are able to securely learn and remember the most important knowledge.  On occasion, the way the curriculum is implemented means pupils’ learning is not moved on as quickly as it could be. This means some pupils are not given the opportunity to extend their learning as well as they might. The school should further consider how the curriculum is delivered to ensure pupils are supported to achieve to their full potential across all curriculum subjects. 4 and 5 March 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). 4 and 5 March 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Children’s Endeavour Trust, a trust made up of eight primary schools.  The headteacher took up post in January 2024.  The school makes use of one registered and one unregistered provider of alternative provision.  There is a before-school club, which is managed by the school.

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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 4 and 5 March 2025

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provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, senior leaders, the special educational needs coordinator, subject leaders, staff, members of the local governing body, trustees and representatives from the central trust team, including the CEO.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: reading, mathematics, science and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke with teachers, spoke with pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. The lead inspector also listened to pupils read with a familiar member of staff.

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 Inspectors also discussed the curriculum and reviewed pupils’ work in some other subjects.  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’ interest first.  The inspectors considered the views of parents through responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View and parents spoken to during the inspection.  The inspectors gathered the views of pupils and staff through Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys, as well as discussions conducted throughout the inspection.

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Inspection team

Jonny Wallace, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Ceri Jones Ofsted 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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