Winterton Junior School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Winterton Junior School West Street, Winterton, Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire DN15 9QG

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Outcome

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

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to welcome visitors to their happy, caring and inclusive school. From the playground to the classroom, the atmosphere is friendly, warm and positive. Pupils enjoy the broad range of subjects they study. They share and discuss their work constructively with each other. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s expectations for behaviour are consistently high and pupils rise to meet them. Relationships are respectful. Pupils speak to staff and each other with great politeness. Pupils are not worried about bullying. However, they know what to do if they are worried, and they trust staff to help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make a highly positive and tangible contribution to the life of the school. They are proud of the school and its values. Pupils help each other throughout the day and enjoy time together. Each year group contributes to the ‘junior council’, as well as through the proactive work of the ‘mental health ambassadors’ and ‘eco warriors’. Pupils appreciate that their voice is heard and that they have an influence in decision-making. Pupils experience and relish activities that allow them to develop their talents in sports, arts and other interests.

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

The school has ensured that the curriculum is ambitious for all pupils. The school benefits from the collaborative work across the federation with the infant school. Pupils’ learning is carefully sequenced. Teachers have a strong understanding of the subjects they deliver and the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn. 10 and 11 June 2025

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Pupils experience an effectively delivered curriculum that helps them to know and remember more. Learning is enriched by trips to the theatre and other interesting locations. Pupils can make clear links to prior knowledge across a range of subjects. Their work shows that they use their prior learning to do more difficult things.

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The school has raised the profile of key vocabulary and reading. Pupils quickly gain the knowledge and skills that they need to become confident, fluent readers. They develop a love of reading and enjoy a wide range of literature. Staff have the expertise to help pupils who are at the early stages of learning to read. This helps pupils who find reading difficult to catch up.

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Teachers are skilled in delivering the curriculum. They identify and address gaps in pupils’ knowledge well. The needs of pupils with SEND are identified clearly. Staff choose effective ways to help pupils to access the curriculum purposefully. The school knows that a few pupils need more support with their writing, particularly in how they form their letters and become more fluent writers over time.

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All staff are clear about the behaviours that they expect from the pupils. Pupils share the school site with each other very positively. They concentrate on their work very well. When pupils need it, they receive excellent pastoral support. Staff help pupils to overcome barriers to their learning, especially the disadvantaged pupils. The school takes effective action to support positive attendance. Pupils attend well and thrive in the caring environment.

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The personal development curriculum is very comprehensive and responsive to the needs of the pupils. Pupils learn about topics in an age-appropriate way. They express their enjoyment of this learning. Staff help them to understand the fundamental British values. Pupils actively demonstrate their understanding of these. They welcome others, are respectful and work hard. Every opportunity is taken to help pupils to grow their character.

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The school has taken practical steps to manage staff workload and to look after their well- being. Staff are very proud to work at the school. The school is led by example, with sensitive and calm authority demonstrated by all leaders. The school knows what is best for its pupils. It prioritises professional development for staff so that they too can do their best. Consequently, staff are highly competent in delivering what is asked of them.

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Governance is a strength. Governors know the school very well. They ensure that the school fulfils its statutory duties and maintains a keen focus on improving the lives of pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 10 and 11 June 2025

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Some pupils at the earliest stages of writing have not, until recently, received the support they need. This means that their letter formation and writing fluency does not improve as quickly as it could. The school should improve the support that pupils receive to develop their writing.

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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 2016.

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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. 10 and 11 June 2025

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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). 10 and 11 June 2025

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Website www.thewintertonfederation.co.uk

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 21 and 22 January 2020, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 Winterton Junior School is federated with Winterton Church of England Infants’ School. The governing body governs both schools. The executive headteacher and several other staff work across both schools.  The school does not use any 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.  During the inspection, the inspector held discussions with the executive headteacher, other senior and middle leaders, and the special educational needs coordinator.  The inspector held discussions with the members of the governing board, including the chair of governors. 10 and 11 June 2025

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 The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 the personal, social, health and economic education curriculum and spoke with leaders.  The inspector looked at records and spoke to staff in relation to behaviour, bullying and attendance.  A range of documentation was scrutinised, including leaders’ plans to improve the school and their self-evaluation of the school’s work.  The inspector took account of responses to Ofsted’s staff survey, as well as Ofsted’s survey for carers and parents, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses.

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Inspection team

Richard Wakefield, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector 10 and 11 June 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 looked-after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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