Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Junior Academy

Inspection of Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Junior Academy Dew Close, Dunchurch, Rugby, Warwickshire CV22 6NE

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

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The headteacher of this school is Emma Darragh. This school is part of the Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy 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), Michael Cowland, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Barry Cockcroft.

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Ofsted has not previously inspected Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Junior Academy under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. However, Ofsted previously judged Dunchurch Boughton Church of England 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. 7 and 8 May 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a school that has high ambition for what pupils can achieve. Pupils meet those expectations. Pupils enjoy learning and have positive attitudes to their education. They find the new curriculum interesting and like the challenge it presents. Pupils develop deep knowledge in a wide range of subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s vision of ‘encouraging one another’ is evident in the relationships that exist across the school. Pupils applaud and celebrate the success of others during lessons. They understand the importance of including everybody and being tolerant. Pupils show kindness and empathy towards each other.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils trust adults with any worries that they have. They have confidence in the adults they tell to sort out any problems. Pupils say that they feel safe at school and are well looked after.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school provides pupils with a range of opportunities to explore their talents and interests. For example, pupils perform opera pieces alongside the local philharmonic choir while others reach the national cross-country finals. Pupils proudly take on leadership responsibilities such as head pupil, music ambassadors, librarians and play leaders. They relish the chance to fundraise for a chosen charity or organise the VE Day shared picnic.

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

The school ensures that all pupils study a well sequenced, highly ambitious curriculum. This is helping pupils know more and remember more. The key knowledge and vocabulary that pupils will learn is set out clearly so that teachers know what to teach. The school helps pupils build on what they already know and make links between subjects.

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

In many subjects, adults check carefully what pupils understand and can do. They adapt the curriculum to address any gaps in knowledge or to challenge pupils further. Bespoke curriculums in subjects such as music and physical education are aspirational and provide further motivation for pupils to excel.

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

Ensuring that every child can read well is a priority at this school. Pupils encounter interesting and engaging books which stimulate discussion. They talk about favourite authors and enjoy choosing books from the library. Pupils at the early stages of learning to read are supported effectively. Phonics is carefully planned to build on work done in feeder schools. Pupils’ outcomes in reading are strong.

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

The school identifies and supports pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) effectively. Staff know their pupils well and adapt lessons, resources and timetables to meet pupils’ individual needs. They are alert to any potential disadvantage pupils may have. Most pupils with SEND learn the same curriculum as their peers because of this. 7 and 8 May 2025

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The school and trust have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour. Occasionally, some pupils do not live up to these high expectations. The recently revised behaviour policy and procedures are helping everyone to understand what is expected. Many staff, pupils, and parents and carers say this supports pupils well. Pupils who need extra help to manage their emotions and behaviour have their needs understood and supported. This support gives pupils the chance to learn how to express their feelings more positively. Work is ongoing to ensure that the newly introduced approach is fully embedded and applied consistently.

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Pupils understand how to keep themselves fit and healthy, including looking after their mental health. The school helps them learn how to keep safe, including when working online. Pupils value the many and varied enrichment opportunities provided such as the rowing challenge, the cookery club and musical theatre club. They show great commitment to their own personal development.

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Since the last inspection, there has been significant turbulence in leadership at the school. At times this has limited the effectiveness of communication with parents and the wider school community. The school and trust now have a strong vision for the school. Staff share this vision and are determined to provide the highest quality provision for all pupils. There is a strong team approach where staff support each other. The trust ensures that decisions are always made in the best interests of the pupils. They are mindful of staff’s well-being and workload, particularly with regard to the recent changes.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The revised behaviour policy is not consistently applied by all staff across the school day. Therefore, a small minority of pupils do not always live up to the school’s high expectations for behaviour. The school should ensure that all staff have the same high expectations for pupils’ behaviour and apply the school’s behaviour policy consistently.  There has been significant turbulence since the last inspection. This has meant that at times effective communication with parents has been limited. This has caused anxiety for some parents, especially those with children with SEND. The school should look to establish effective ways of communicating with all members of the school community, especially parents of children with SEND, so that they can work in partnership to drive further school improvement. 7 and 8 May 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). 7 and 8 May 2025

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Junior Academy converted to become an academy in October 2023. It is part of the Diocese of Coventry Multi-Academy Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  The school operates a before- and after-school provision.  There has been considerable turnover in headteachers since the last inspection. In the last two years there have been four headteachers. The current headteacher took up the substantive post in April 2025.  The school shares its Academy Governance Committee with Dunchurch Boughton Church of England Infant Academy and Nursery.  The school is a Church of England school within the Diocese of Coventry. The last section 48 inspection was in February 2025. The next inspection will be within five years of the last section 48 inspection. 7 and 8 May 2025

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

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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. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  The inspectors met with senior leaders, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  The lead inspector met with a member of the board of trustees and members of the academy governance committee.  The lead inspector held a meeting with the CEO and head of education for the multi- academy trust.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors 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. Inspectors also discussed the

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Information about this inspection

curriculum in other subjects and visited lessons.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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’ interests first.  Inspectors scrutinised a range of other documentation, including records of pupils’ behaviour and attendance, and leaders’ evaluation of the school.  Inspectors observed breaktimes and spoke to pupils informally and in small groups to gather their views on the school.  The inspectors analysed responses to Ofsted’s online staff survey and spoke to staff about their views of the school. They analysed the responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey.  The inspectors took account of the responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including the free-text responses. Inspectors also spoke with parents before and after

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Information about this inspection

school during the inspection. 7 and 8 May 2025

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Inspection team

Nicola Harwood, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector

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Inspection team

Roulla Gabriel Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 May 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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