Skegby Junior Academy

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Skegby Junior Academy Ash Grove, Skegby, Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire NG17 3FH

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Outcome

Skegby Junior Academy has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The principal of this school is Pauline Marples. This school is part of Greenwood Academies 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), Wayne Norrie, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Prof Chris Hall.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is highly inclusive and welcoming to all pupils. Relationships are warm and kind. Staff have created a nurturing environment where pupils feel safe and important.

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What is it like to attend this school?

There are high expectations. Pupils, regardless of their backgrounds or starting points, follow an ambitious curriculum. The school gives pupils the support they need to achieve, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). A very small number of these pupils sometimes struggle to engage with academic learning in the timetabled lessons.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn how to build resilience, one of the school’s ‘5 Rs’. They know adults are there to help with any worries. Pupils behave sensibly and follow the school’s ‘SMART’ values. They stay focused because teachers make learning relevant, with the right amount of challenge.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop their knowledge of the world. They enjoy lessons and wider experiences that help broaden their understanding of people and future possibilities. Pupils respect differences, although they are less secure about some legal aspects. Older pupils are proud to carry out jobs to earn ‘purple pounds’. They learn to manage their pounds, saving or spending as they earn. 1 and 2 April 2025

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

The school has carefully planned the curriculum to build pupils’ knowledge over time. Staff design tasks to help pupils revisit and retain key knowledge. The school has considered how to develop language so that pupils communicate their answers and ideas well. Staff teach new vocabulary well. Pupils in Year 6 have had less time to benefit from improvements made at the school. As a result, the achievement of some disadvantaged pupils continues to lag behind in statutory assessments.

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

Staff quickly identify and address pupils’ needs, including those with SEND. In lessons, teachers help pupils by providing careful adaptations. Tailored interventions are designed to ensure pupils secure important knowledge. Teaching is underpinned by timely assessment during lessons as well as more formal checks. As a result, teachers assign tasks that are well tailored to each pupil’s next step.

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

The school provides additional support for pupils who struggle to manage their emotions. This pastoral care boosts pupils’ emotional well-being. However, this means that sometimes some pupils miss out on learning in order to receive this support. This can prevent some pupils from accessing the curriculum and achieving well.

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

The school prioritises early reading as soon as pupils start at the school. Consistent phonics teaching ensures that most pupils learn to become fluent and confident readers. Staff provide effective support for pupils who struggle. The school promotes the enjoyment of books to help pupils to develop a love of reading. The work to develop vocabulary strengthens pupils’ comprehension of increasingly challenging texts.

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

Pupils discuss their ideas before they write. This enables them to draft and edit their work. The school provides varied experiences to create rich memories to write about. For example, pupils reflect on the previous week in outdoor learning and record their learning. Teachers check that pupils maintain the same standards for writing across subjects as they demonstrate in their English lessons. Staff support some pupils to develop hand strength, which helps them to write extended pieces.

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

The school uses a consistent approach to rewarding good behaviour. In lessons, pupils are well engaged. At breaktimes, they socialise happily, organising games or carrying out their assigned jobs. Pupils want to come to school. The school works with great care and determination to improve the attendance of those few pupils whose families need help. As a result, attendance continues to improve across the school.

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

The school plans rich extra-curricular experiences. Pupils value the chance to try new things, such as meeting an author or visiting the zoo. Pupils develop their confidence. They understand that people are not all the same. They learn to be tolerant and respectful of others.

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

There is a strong commitment from leaders at all levels to provide a high-quality education. Trustees understand the school well. The trust provides effective staff 1 and 2 April 2025

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development and professional challenge. Staff feel well supported and proud to work in the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The curriculum was revised after the pandemic, with a systematic emphasis on language development for all pupils. The older pupils have not benefited from this new approach for their entire time in key stage 2. This means that there is still a gap in achievement for disadvantaged pupils in statutory assessments at the end of Year 6. The school should continue to ensure that disadvantaged pupils improve their attainment and progress throughout key stage 2.  The support to help some pupils regulate their emotions means they can miss out on some learning. As a result, they do not achieve as well as they could. The school should support all pupils to engage in learning activities, so they learn and remember key knowledge and skills successfully over time.

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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 school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015. 1 and 2 April 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). 1 and 2 April 2025

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Date of previous inspection 30 January 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school is part of the Greenwood Academies Trust.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club run by the school on site.  The school does not use 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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the principal and the deputy principal, who is also the special educational needs coordinator. 1 and 2 April 2025

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 The inspector met with the senior education director and the CEO from the trust. They met with the chair of the trust.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They held discussions about the curriculum and spoke to staff.  The inspector observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons, around the school, at breaktime and at lunchtime. The inspector spoke with pupils about their views of the school, learning, behaviour and safety.  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 the responses to Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text comments.  The inspector met with staff to gather the views of the school. They also considered

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the responses from the Ofsted survey for staff.

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Inspection team

Jo Ward, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 1 and 2 April 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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