Brookland Junior School

Brookland Junior School

Address: Elm Drive, Cheshunt, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, EN8 0RX Unique reference number (URN): 117233

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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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Inclusion Strong standard

Leaders have established clear systems that draw on a wide range of information about pupils' needs, such as disadvantage or special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This helps staff to identify, as early as possible, any barriers to learning that pupils may face. These systems include a sharply focused pupil premium strategy that responds directly and effectively to the needs of disadvantaged pupils. Staff provide effective, carefully targeted support for pupils who need it. This helps to ensure that pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged learn well.

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Inclusion Strong standard

Staff follow the school's rigorous processes for monitoring the progress of pupils with SEND and those who are disadvantaged, including pupils known to social care. Where necessary, staff make further adaptations to the learning and support they provide so that pupils continue to learn effectively. As a result, these groups of pupils progress appropriately over time and increasingly meet the ambitious targets set for them.

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Inclusion Strong standard

The school has clear and well established systems to ensure the suitability of any alternative provision. For instance, leaders maintain strong communication between the school and alternative providers to ensure that pupils are safe, attend consistently, and make progress towards individual targets. This consistent oversight ensures continuity, supports pupils’ engagement, and reinforces high expectations for learning and behaviour.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders have established a culture of high expectations and professionalism across the school. This culture ensures that everyone understands what leaders expect of them and supports a consistently positive experience for pupils. Leaders communicate a clear strategic direction, particularly as the federation continues to grow and a new leadership structure becomes embedded. Staff and governors feel valued and play an active role in shaping and sustaining the school’s strategic priorities.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Leaders analyse performance information with precision. They use this insight to evaluate all aspects of the school’s provision. They maintain an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths as well as areas for development. They put clear, well defined improvement plans in place to address these priorities. As a result, leadership actions have a measurable and positive impact on pupils’ outcomes.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Staff value the high quality programme of training and professional development available to them. Leaders provide regular opportunities for staff to collaborate, share best practice, and further develop their skills and expertise. Staff speak very positively about the consideration leaders give to workload and work life balance. They feel confident that leaders will support them both professionally and personally.

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Leadership and governance Strong standard

Governors understand their roles and responsibilities clearly. They have deliberately developed a broad and complementary range of skills, which enables them to support and

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Expected standard

challenge leaders effectively. The local authority regularly shares examples of the school’s strong practice with other leaders across the authority.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders have put in place a well designed programme for pupils' personal development and wellbeing. This programme includes an effective curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education that prepares pupils well for future life. Where appropriate, leaders work closely with external agencies such as the police and health professionals to strengthen its provision. This approach allows the school to respond swiftly and effectively to pupils’ needs. Pupils have access to counselling should they need it

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils understand how the concepts that they learn in lessons apply to real life situations. For example, they learn useful strategies for managing their feelings, to resolve differences, and to minimise potential conflict. Pupils also learn how to stay safe, including when using technology and accessing online content. They speak confidently and appropriately about the changes their bodies will go through as they grow older, demonstrating secure knowledge and understanding.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Leaders ensure that they capture pupils’ aspirations fully and set clear, achievable targets to help pupils reach them. For example, leaders may set a target for a pupil to ride a bike independently before leaving the school. Where pupils do not have access to a bicycle at home, the school provides a bike and opportunities to practise during lunchtimes, supported by staff. This ensures that all pupils can access the same enriching experiences, including those pupils who are disadvantaged or have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Pupils demonstrate a secure understanding of British values, including tolerance, respect, and democracy. They show genuine respect for others’ beliefs and faiths and view difference as something positive and worthy of celebration.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Lunchtimes and playtimes offer a wide range of purposeful activities. Pupils enjoy exploring opportunities such as playing in the sandpit, particularly those who have never visited a beach. Pupils especially enjoy building dens using large construction resources.

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Achievement Expected standard

Typically, pupils have the age appropriate knowledge and skills they need to progress to the next stage of learning. Leaders place a high priority on the development of pupils' language, communication, and vocabulary, as well as the essential knowledge that pupils need in mathematics. Leaders have successfully created a culture of reading throughout the school. Pupils enjoy reading and engage positively with a wide range of texts. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those who are disadvantaged. Staff swiftly identify any gaps in pupils’ reading and number knowledge. They take effective action to to address this missing knowledge so that gaps close over time. By the end of key stage 2, pupils demonstrate that they are well prepared for secondary school. Attainment in the key stage 2 national tests in reading and mathematics stands above the national average. This secure performance also reflects the achievements of

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Achievement Expected standard

disadvantaged pupils and, where appropriate, those pupils with SEND. Although writing stands in line with national averages, this is an area that the school continues to focus on for some pupils.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

An ethos of respect is evident throughout the school. This creates an environment that supports pupils to learn well. Pupils are polite, well mannered, and considerate of others. Learning is calm and well organised, which enables pupils to maintain focus and engage positively in lessons. Pupils concentrate well because they enjoy their learning and understand the benefits of working hard and achieving success. Playtimes are positive and purposeful. Pupils can explain how well planned, focused activities have contributed to improvements in behaviour and relationships. Pupils play an active role in setting the school's behaviour expectations. Bullying is rare. Pupils are assured that, should incidents arise, staff address them quickly and effectively.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders analyse attendance information closely at both whole school level and for specific groups of pupils. This helps leaders to identify patterns and trends that may indicate barriers to attendance. Leaders work closely with families to help remove these barriers. They ensure that the support provided to individual families reflects their circumstances and needs so that it has the best chance of success. Leaders and staff focus on ensuring that school is a place that pupils want to attend. Overall attendance continues to improve, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. However, despite this positive work, the attendance of a small number of pupils remains lower than it should be.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders have carefully sequenced the curriculum so that pupils build new learning securely on what they know already. This helps pupils to develop firm foundations for future learning. This carefully organised curriculum helps pupils to connect their learning across different subjects. Leaders set clear expectations for how staff should teach the curriculum. Staff follow these expectations consistently well in lessons. For example, staff explain to pupils exactly what they need to do to complete tasks successfully. This helps pupils to understand what is required of them and to engage positively with their learning. Staff adapt teaching effectively so that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities, can access the curriculum and learn.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Leaders ensure that the development of pupils' language and vocabulary is a priority. Pupils have frequent opportunities to communicate confidently through spoken language. This is having a positive impact on their ability to use and understand language. Leaders take appropriate and effective action to strengthen pupils’ foundational skills in spelling and handwriting. Most pupils produce written work of an appropriately high standard. However, leaders recognise that on occasions, this does not always extend consistently across all foundation subjects. Teachers develop and improve their subject knowledge through a well planned programme of professional development. This contributes effectively to pupils' learning and achievement in a range of subjects.

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

Pupils are happy, polite, and enjoy coming to school. They feel welcome and secure in the school's warm and nurturing environment. Pupils' positive attitudes to learning show how much they enjoy their lessons. Pupils embrace school life and the opportunities it offers. They participate enthusiastically in a wide range of activities. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils particularly relish their breaktimes when they can play creatively with their friends using the exciting equipment that the school provides.

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

Pupils develop strong, trusting relationships with staff, who know them well. Pupils feel safe and confident to speak to staff if they have worries or concerns. They know that staff will listen and will help them. Pupils show respectful attitudes to staff and to each other. They learn how to manage relationships such as friendships. Incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are rare. However, pupils trust staff to act swiftly should they ever occur.

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

Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, both academically and personally. Pupils know the importance of the skills they are developing, such as independence. They understand the reasons behind decisions, for example, about behaviour expectations. These skills support a smooth transition to the next phase of education. Pupils who require additional support receive carefully tailored adaptations that meet their needs effectively. As a result, pupils achieve well, particularly in mathematics and reading. This includes disadvantaged pupils, and those pupils with SEND.

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

Pupils know that their thoughts and ideas are important to staff. For instance, they know that staff take account of their views when planning experiences such as those for pupils' wider development. Pupils benefit from activities that extend learning beyond the classroom. For example, trips to London museums enhance pupils’ knowledge while developing independence through real-life experiences, including using public transport.

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Next steps

Staff should take appropriate action to identify and address errors in pupils' spelling and handwriting in all curriculum subjects, in order to strengthen these aspects of pupils' foundational knowledge. Leaders should continue to support disadvantaged pupils to attend school regularly so that their attendance improves even further. Leaders should ensure that pupils have more opportunities to practise and apply their writing knowledge across the curriculum.

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Lead inspector:

Katie Devenport, His Majesty's Inspector

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Team inspectors:

Michele Geddes, Ofsted Inspector Shelley Desborough, Ofsted 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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About this inspection

The school is part of a federation called Brookland Federation.

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About this inspection

The chair of the board of governors in this school is Mr David Warner.

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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 (HMI) or by Ofsted Inspectors (OIs) who have previously served as HMIs.

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About this inspection

Inspectors spoke with the executive headteacher, heads of schools for both the infants and the juniors, senior staff, teachers, support staff, pupils and some parents during the inspection. They also spoke to representatives from the governing body and local authority.

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

Executive headteacher : Mandeep Barton 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 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

2022/23 (final) 64% 60% 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

2022/23 (final) 72% 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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average

2024/25 (revised) 73% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 76% 71% Close to average

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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

2022/23 (final) 73% 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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average

2024/25 (revised) 42% 47% Close to average

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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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average

2024/25 (revised) 69% 63% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 60% Close to average

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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

2024/25 (revised) 69% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 70% 59% Close to average

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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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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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national average

2024/25 (2 term) 4.8% 5.2% Close to average

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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) 12.3% 13.3% Close to average

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national average

2023/24 (3 term) 15.7% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 18.7% 16.2% 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. 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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