Sandon Junior Mixed and Infant School

Sandon Junior Mixed and Infant School

Address: Sandon, Nr Buntingford, Hertfordshire, SG9 0QS Unique reference number (URN): 117147

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Attendance has improved at the school and now sits above the national average. Leaders identify pupils who do not attend as regularly as they should. They work with families and pupils to put the right support in place so attendance improves. These support strategies include giving some pupils a slightly different start to the school day and helping parents and carers to secure the medical access that their children need.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils across the school are friendly, respectful and positive towards each other. They work well together in many contexts, from those who have just started school to the oldest pupils in Year 6. Pupils form effective relationships with staff and show high levels of mutual respect. Pupils stay focused in lessons and listen carefully to each other’s ideas. Leaders have introduced a new behaviour approach and trained staff well so that they use it consistently. Staff teach behaviour expectations clearly so that pupils understand what leaders expect of them. This includes knowing what bullying is. Pupils say that if they think bullying is happening, staff help them to resolve the issue. Pupils who struggle to meet expectations receive the support that they need to succeed.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils benefit from a wide personal development programme that includes relationships, health and sex education. They choose the values that the school focuses on. This helps to give them a sense of ownership. Leaders highlight these values in assemblies. Pupils earn wristbands and stickers when they demonstrate them. Pupils say that they value these rewards because they can share their achievements with their parents and carers.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders make sure that pupils understand and respect people’s rights and differences, including cultural diversity, in modern Britain. Pupils also debate ethical issues with maturity. The curriculum includes a wide range of texts so that pupils can use them as windows into other worlds and faiths. Pupils work collaboratively alongside different age ranges during activities, such as cooking for Black History Month, to widen their social experiences. They also learn about topics such as discrimination through assemblies. Pupils contribute to fundamental British values when they democratically elect their head girl and head boy.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders plan a broad range of opportunities and work with local schools to extend pupils’ experiences beyond the curriculum. These opportunities include large singing events, trampoline workshops, dance and sports competitions. A careers week helps pupils to explore a range of jobs. It also challenges their views on gender stereotypes. Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe in different contexts, including online. All pupils take part in the school’s opportunities, and staff remove barriers that could prevent participation.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils know how to keep themselves mentally and physically healthy. Leaders make sure that pupils who need extra support receive it. This support may involve meditation, play therapy or structured work with staff on social situations. Leaders prioritise pupils’ wellbeing.

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Achievement Needs attention

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or who are disadvantaged, are not securing the knowledge and skills that they need to learn more complex ideas and concepts. This happens because staff do not deliver learning across the curriculum consistently well. This sometimes limits what pupils know and remember. Pupils are not building knowledge consistently over time in a range of subjects. They are not as academically prepared for their next steps, including secondary school, as they could be.

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Achievement Needs attention

Due to the lower than typical number of pupils on roll, each pupil represents a high percentage in the school’s published data. This means that published outcomes do not represent a full and accurate picture of pupils’ achievement. For example, last year there were no pupils in Year 1, so the school did not take part in the phonics screening check. The teaching of early reading supports younger children to develop confidence in recognising and using different sounds. This foundation is built upon in Year 1, where pupils apply their skills to read short, simple sentences with increasing accuracy.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

The curriculum is not delivered as leaders intend and it does not meet the needs of all pupils consistently well. Leaders have planned the curriculum carefully so that pupils progress through topics in a logical sequence that builds their knowledge and vocabulary. They have adapted the curriculum to suit mixed-age classes. However, changes in staffing mean that the school does not have sufficient expertise in delivering the curriculum in accordance with leaders’ expectations.

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Curriculum and teaching Needs attention

While staff have secure subject knowledge for the topics that they teach, they sometimes do not identify or address gaps in pupils’ understanding. Leaders have begun to address this. They provide support focused on effective teaching methods, including the use of assessment. The impact of this has started to be seen in some areas of the curriculum, for example in the teaching of handwriting and early reading. Phonics is taught with consistency, and pupils who need extra help to secure their early reading skills receive it. As pupils move through the school, they learn to read with greater fluency. Staff have a number of strategies that they use to support individual or small groups of pupils with their learning. For example, some pupils have a more active approach to their mathematics lessons. However, across the school, pupils' experiences of being supported to overcome their barriers to learning are variable.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders have remained committed and focused while navigating changes in staffing. However, pupils are not receiving consistent quality of support. Leaders have provided staff with tailored support to strengthen their confidence and skills. Clear processes identify pupils’ needs, and plans outline how to support them. However, in some cases, these plans are not as clear as they could be. In addition, guidance provided is not consistently followed by staff. More recently, some phonics and handwriting interventions have begun. Leaders are carefully checking that these interventions are having the impact they require. However, overall, staff are not clear about when pupils have achieved their targets so that they can move pupils on to their next steps in learning. This limits pupils’ progress.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Pupil premium funding is used to support pupils effectively. Leaders base their spending decisions on pupils’ best interests and individual needs. This ensures that pupils do not miss out on the wide range of opportunities available to them.

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Inclusion Needs attention

Leaders do not hesitate to seek advice from external professionals when needed. They work closely with parents and carers to ensure any use of alternative provision is right for pupils who require it. Leaders monitor the impact of this provision with families and professionals and adapt it when necessary to ensure that it continues to meet pupils’ needs.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders know the improvements that the school needs to make. They recognise the areas where they want to have greater impact, and they understand that progress in securing the intended improvements has not been as rapid as they want. Governors have a clear view of the challenges that the school faces. They work closely with leaders to address these and fulfil their statutory duties. In many areas where leaders have introduced recent changes, it is too soon to see the impact of their actions.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders remain focused on providing the best for the pupils who attend the school. Changes in the number of pupils on roll mean that leaders have had to reorganise how classes are arranged. Consequently, staffing has been unstable and developments have not had sufficient time to become embedded.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Leaders model high expectations for staff and pupils. They value the work of governors and staff and promote a culture of mutual respect. Leaders support staff with their workload, as many staff hold several roles. They ensure that staff have access to professional development through small group sessions or individual coaching.

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Leadership and governance Needs attention

Parents and carers speak positively about the school and confidently support its work. They value the close community, the small size of the school and the care that leaders show towards their children. Families recognise that leaders work hard to create a nurturing environment where pupils feel known, safe and ready to learn.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Pupils treasure their small village school, which sits at the heart of a close-knit community. They enjoy coming to school regularly because staff greet them warmly each morning. Staff take time to build positive relationships. This supports pupils’ sense of safety and belonging. Bullying is rare and staff sort out any issues that pupils may have promptly. Staff explore different behaviours with pupils so that they learn how their actions affect others.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Most pupils behave well in lessons and stay focused on their work. They follow the teacher’s directions and try hard to meet expectations. During playtimes, pupils of all ages mix confidently. Some pupils use a role-play area to develop storytelling and explore ideas. Older pupils lead activities in this space, and younger children benefit from their encouragement.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Across most subjects, sometimes, the teaching does not help pupils to learn and apply knowledge. The strategies to support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are not as effective as they should be in helping them to overcome barriers to learning. As a result, pupils’ achievement over time is inconsistent.

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What it's like to be a pupil at this school

Leaders ensure that pupils have access to a wide range of opportunities that broaden their experience beyond the classroom. Pupils take part in sporting events, such as handball. They enjoy annual theatre visits and learn how to stay safe on their bikes through sessions with the local police force. The school plays a central role within the community. For example, pupils hosted a coffee and cake morning for local residents. They invite local families to see how they learn in their outdoor area. These experiences strengthen pupils’ understanding of community life and help to enhance their sense of belonging.

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Next steps

Leaders should ensure that staff have a shared understanding of the school’s curriculum and the approaches to deliver it as effectively as they intend. Leaders should ensure that staff make effective use of assessment strategies to identify and address any gaps in pupils’ learning to enable them to learn the curriculum content as fully as intended. Leaders should ensure that guidance and individual plans to support pupils to overcome barriers to their learning are carefully followed and reviewed to ensure that pupils' learning is supported appropriately and moved on swiftly.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Mr Paul Heath.

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About this inspection

The number of pupils on roll at the time of the inspection was 22.

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About this inspection

Inspectors carried out this full inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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About this inspection

Following our renewed inspection framework, all inspections are now led by His Majesty’s Inspectors (HMIs) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher, the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator, senior staff, teachers, support staff, pupils and some parents and carers during the inspection. They also spoke to representatives from the governing body and from the local authority.

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Lead inspector:

Katie Devenport, His Majesty's Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The data was used by the inspector(s) during the inspection. More recent data may have been published since the inspection took place.

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What does this mean?

The total number of pupils currently at this school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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What does this mean?

The interim headteacher has been in position since September 2025.

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What does this mean?

The school makes use of one alternative provision, which is unregistered.

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What does this mean?

Headteacher: Ricky Boxall The total number of pupils who can attend the school and how this compares to other schools of this phase in England.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan. This covers pupils with more support than is available through special educational needs support.

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What does this mean?

The proportion of pupils with reported special educational support needs at the school.

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What does this mean?

Based on the English Indices of Deprivation (2019) and the school's location, we have calculated whether the school is located in a more or less deprived area.

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What does this mean?

Whether school has Resourced Provision or SEND unit (if applicable).

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics measure.

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average

2024/25 (revised) 57% 62% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 74% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 77% 73% Close to average

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing.

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Pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

2023/24 (final) 71% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Disadvantaged pupils' performance gap

Disadvantaged pupils are those who have been eligible for free school meals at any point in the last six years and children looked after. The school disadvantage gap is the difference between the performance of the school's disadvantaged pupils compared to the performance of all non-disadvantaged pupils nationally.

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mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics, including the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in reading

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in reading and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in teacher-assessed writing

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in teacher- assessed writing and the disadvantaged gap.

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Disadvantaged pupils reaching the expected standard in mathematics

The percentage of disadvantaged pupils meeting the expected standard in mathematics and the disadvantaged gap.

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average

‘S’ in the table above indicates the data has been suppressed, which is usually due to small cohorts. The suppression rules applied by the DfE when publishing the data have been mirrored and applied in the report card.

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Overall absence

The percentage of all possible mornings and afternoons missed due to absence from school (for whatever reason, whether authorised or unauthorised) across all pupils.

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Persistent absence

The percentage of pupils missing 10% or more of their possible mornings and afternoons.

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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 15.6% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 14.3% 14.6% Close to average

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other schools can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The school reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The school is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The school needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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

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