Hartford Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Hartford Junior School Mayfield Crescent, Hartford, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire PE29 1UL

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Outcome

Hartford 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 Rae Lee. This school is part of the Cam 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), Claire Heald, and overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Sue Williamson.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a calm place. Pupils and adults respect each other. Pupils listen to their teachers and are enthusiastic about their lessons. They are happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils follow the school’s golden rules. These include being gentle, honest and showing good manners. Pupils demonstrate these qualities by being kind to each other and welcoming visitors. Pupils willingly take on leadership responsibilities. They elect representatives to the school and eco councils. This helps them to understand democracy and develop communication skills. These opportunities prepare them well for the future.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high aspirations of pupils. It wants them to achieve well and provides the support to ensure they do. It is successful in the attempt to widen their horizons. Pupils develop a deep understanding of French language and culture. They are knowledgeable about how to stay safe using the internet. Pupils benefit from the activities their teachers plan which help them learn and remember the curriculum. They benefit from the wide range of activities provided during breaktimes which help them to manage risks and keep healthy.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave well around the school and in classrooms. When pupils struggle to regulate their behaviour, staff provide effective support. Pupils know there is someone to talk to when they feel worried. 7 and 8 May 2025

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

The school regularly reviews the curriculum to ensure it is ambitious for all pupils. Teachers are well trained. They are knowledgeable about the teaching of reading and mathematics. Consequently, most pupils make strong progress in these areas. For those pupils in the early stages of learning to read, the school provides support for them to catch up. Pupils develop a love of reading because of the high-quality books that teachers read with them. Teachers also have good subject knowledge in other areas of the curriculum and so pupil progress is generally strong.

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

Staff present new concepts clearly. Pupils have positive attitudes. Because teachers regularly revisit prior learning, pupils remember the intended curriculum. For example, they have a strong understanding of scientific concepts and can quickly recall important multiplication facts. They understand musical terms such as the difference between volume and pitch. They know about the relevance of historical events, such as Victory in Europe Day.

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

Teachers quickly identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils’ individual support plans detail precisely what support pupils need. Staff use these well and make appropriate adaptations so that pupils with SEND achieve well throughout the curriculum. Teachers check what pupils have learned. Pupils at risk of falling behind get the help they need to catch up. Where assessment is less well developed, it fails to meet the needs of a small number of pupils. This means that the work provided for them repeats what they already know well. Sometimes they spend time in catch-up groups, for example in phonics, and miss new areas of the curriculum being taught in the classroom.

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

Staff consistently apply the agreed behaviour policy so pupils understand how they are expected to behave. Leaders have worked hard to reduce the number of suspensions, which have been high at times, and this has had a positive impact. Pupils returning to school following a suspension are well supported in class and helped to understand the consequences of their behaviour. The school makes attendance a high priority. Staff look closely at the reasons why a few pupils do not attend well. It provides support where necessary.

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

The school provides a variety of opportunities to develop pupils’ personal development. These include the opportunity to sing in the choir and perform outside school. This increases pupils’ confidence. Pupils also have the opportunity to learn from visitors, such as a local magistrate. They visit the local church, and the vicar has provided assemblies in school. The school makes sure the pupils have opportunities to visit areas outside the town to broaden their experience. This includes a residential visit in Years 4 and 6. The school helps pupils become responsible citizens, for example through fundraising for charities.

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

The school prioritises staff’s well-being. Staff feel well supported by senior leaders to carry out their work. The trust provides support and challenge for leaders. It monitors the 7 and 8 May 2025

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work of the local advisory board so that it can successfully carry out its delegated responsibilities.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 A few aspects of the school’s assessment system are not as well developed as others. This results in the provision of work for a small number of pupils which repeats what is already well known. When this happens, pupils spend time in intervention groups and consequently miss other aspects of the curriculum. The school should ensure that teachers know what all pupils understand in all aspects of a subject so that pupils are always given work which best supports their learning.

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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 school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019. 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

Dates of previous inspection 15 and 16 October 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher has been in post since 2022.  The school does not use alternative providers.

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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 her evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher, the deputy headteacher, the special educational needs coordinator, several subject leaders, the chair, director of education and the CEO of the trust. 7 and 8 May 2025

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 The inspector visited lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. They also listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector took account of the views of parents, including the 17 free-text responses on Ofsted Parent View.  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.

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Inspection team

Linda Allison, lead inspector 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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