Great Bradfords Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Great Bradfords Junior School Marlborough Road, Braintree, Essex CM7 9LW

p.1

Outcome

Great Bradfords Junior School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Great Bradfords is a welcoming, inclusive school. Pupils understand and follow the school’s encouragement to be kind, be safe, be responsible. Pupils are accepting of everyone’s differences. They are confident that they can share any worries with trusted adults in school. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s high expectations are part of all areas of school life. Teachers challenge pupils with ambitious lessons. Pupils rise to this challenge. They achieve well. The school’s many links with the local community, such as the food bank and library, allow pupils to apply their learning to real-life situations. Pupils display high standards of behaviour and resilience when their work is difficult.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their school. They understand the importance of looking after each other and the local environment. They enjoy the responsibility of being librarians or members of the ‘global green team’. Pupils take these roles seriously. They help to develop their self-esteem.

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate the many enrichment opportunities on offer. These include outdoor learning experiences, which build their self-confidence and independence. Educational visits enhance the curriculum. Recently, these have included trips to an Anglo-Saxon village and local museums, and river walks.

p.1

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

The school has developed an ambitious curriculum that inspires pupils’ curiosity. ‘Big questions’ encourage pupils to make links between their learning in different subjects. For example, pupils explore the concept of hunger from a wide range of viewpoints. Pupils 18 and 19 March 2025

p.1

2

demonstrate their understanding of what they have learned in a variety of ways. This includes the creation of an art gallery and museum in school and by presenting in assemblies. In addition, pupils display their work in a local library.

p.2

2

The school has identified precisely what pupils need to know and the order in which they should learn it. Teachers check pupils’ understanding during lessons. They address any misconceptions promptly. Teachers and other adults discuss pupils’ learning frequently. This allows staff to accurately identify pupils who need help. As a result, pupils achieve well. This allows them to be prepared well for the next stage of education.

p.2

2

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Pupils read and share their opinions about new books frequently. Pupils encounter a wide range of texts and authors, including from different cultures. The well-stocked library and classroom book areas encourage pupils to read for pleasure. Where pupils need additional help to catch up, they benefit from effective support. Pupils enjoy reading. They develop into confident and fluent readers during their time here.

p.2

2

The school identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately. Teachers carefully adapt learning to meet these needs. Regular reviews of the adaptations help to ensure that support for pupils with SEND is effective. Pupils with SEND learn successfully alongside their peers.

p.2

2

The school has high expectations for behaviour. Pupils behave well in all areas of the school. They listen to their teachers attentively. This helps lessons to be calm and focused. On rare occasions, some pupils need extra support to meet the school’s expectations. Staff use a variety of strategies to help these pupils to recognise and manage their emotions.

p.2

2

Supporting pupils’ personal development is a priority. Pupils learn about keeping safe, healthy lifestyles and positive relationships. They also learn to look after their mental health and well-being. Pupils develop a sense of pride in their community, for example by campaigning to preserve local wartime shelters of historical significance and by raising money at charity events.

p.2

2

Pupils speak enthusiastically about the impact of their leadership roles. These include anti-bullying ambassadors, house captains and members of the school council. Pupils are proud that one of their ideas led to the installation of an outdoor gym on the playing fields.

p.2

2

The school provides a range of extra-curricular activities, such as football, choir, gardening and homework clubs. While many pupils attend these activities, there are disproportionately fewer disadvantaged pupils who benefit from these opportunities.

p.2

2

The school is well led and managed. The governing body knows the school well. Governors hold leaders to account effectively for their actions towards school improvement. Staff appreciate the school’s drive to support their workload and well-being. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.2

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils, especially those who are disadvantaged, do not benefit from the range of extra-curricular opportunities that the school provides. This means that these pupils do not develop their interests and talents as widely as they could. The school should identify any barriers to pupils’ participation in extra-curricular activities and support the most vulnerable pupils to take advantage of the full range of opportunities that it provides.

p.3

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 good for its overall effectiveness.

p.3

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.

p.3

Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in December 2015.

p.3

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.

p.3

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.3

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 18 and 19 March 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Website www.gtbradfordsjuniorschool.org.uk

p.5

School details

Date of previous inspection 13 June 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

p.5

Information about this school

 The school uses one unregistered alternative provision.

p.5

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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the chair of governors and other members of the governing body.  The inspector met with a representative of the local authority.  The inspector 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. 18 and 19 March 2025

p.5

6

 The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around school and at social times. He considered pupils’ views about behaviour in school. He also spoke with staff about their workload and well-being.  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 reviewed a range of documents, including school policies, the school development plan, the self-evaluation form and minutes from meetings of the governing body.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey and Ofsted’s staff survey. He also considered the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including any free-text comments.

p.6

Inspection team

Rob James, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 18 and 19 March 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7