Cavendish Close Junior Academy

Cavendish Close Junior Academy

Address: Deborah Drive, Chaddesden, Derby, Derbyshire, DE21 4RJ Unique reference number (URN): 144822

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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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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, and from a broad range of starting points, pupils achieve well. This is reflected in the outcomes of national assessments. These show that the proportion of pupils reaching the standards expected of them at the end of key stage 2 does not differ significantly from national figures. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged. As a result, pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Achievement in the Year 4 multiplication tables check, which has historically been below national averages, is improving. Current pupils are doing much better.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils successfully learn the essential skills and knowledge that they need to access the curriculum. The school quickly identifies where any gaps exist and ensures that these are addressed.

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Achievement Expected standard

On the whole, pupils have a secure recall of the curriculum and are able to talk confidently about their learning from several terms ago.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Leaders have worked hard to bring about improvements in attendance. Since the school's last inspection, it has improved dramatically. Attendance rates are higher than national. This includes disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The proportion of pupils who are persistently absent is well below average. The school has established robust systems and processes to identify, challenge and support pupils and their families where attendance needs to improve. This has brought about significant and demonstrable improvements.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Behaviour around the school is positive. Pupils are typically polite and courteous. They open doors for each other and greet one another, and visitors, warmly. They are proud of their school. Incidents of serious poor behaviour, including bullying, are rare. They are dealt with swiftly and robustly when they do occur. Any pupils who need additional help to live up to the school's expectations of being ‘Safe, Respectful and Engaged’ receive the support that they need. This support is well designed.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils value the extensive range of rewards and incentives on offer. They are proud of the points, marbles and miniature ducks that they earn. They are confident that adults will support them if they behave inappropriately. In lessons, pupils show positive attitudes to learning. Typically, they work hard and demonstrate impressive levels of concentration. Younger pupils are developing these habits at a rapid rate.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Across all subjects, the school's curriculum is well organised. It makes clear the precise knowledge that pupils are expected to acquire and remember. It builds cumulatively on what has gone before. Leaders systematically check the effectiveness of teaching. They have a secure understanding of the strengths that exist and the areas where practice can be improved further. As a result of training, teachers have a consistent understanding of what good- quality teaching looks like. Typically, this is implemented effectively. Teaching enables pupils to revisit what they have learned previously and to remember content in the long term. Teachers typically adapt lessons well for all groups of pupils. However, in a small number of cases, teachers do not check closely enough on how well pupils are getting on in lessons. As a result, in these instances, pupils who are struggling, or have misconceptions, are not

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school's curriculum ensures that any gaps in pupils' essential knowledge are identified and addressed. This includes gaps in writing, letter formation, mathematics and reading. Pupils who remain in the early stages of learning to read benefit from a well-organised programme of systematic synthetic phonics. Pupils go on to study a wide range of texts, authors and genres. They typically develop a love of reading.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders have a detailed understanding of the multiple barriers and vulnerabilities that pupils face. They keep a close eye on how each pupil in the school is progressing. Any barriers to pupils' academic and personal development are quickly identified and addressed. The school closely monitors the effectiveness of its actions.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive the help that they need to succeed. Targets contained within their individual plans are well chosen and regularly reviewed. Pupils, parents and carers are typically involved in this process. The school caters well for its high proportion of pupils who have Education, Health and Care (EHC) plans. The longer-term targets contained within these plans are skilfully broken down into shorter-term goals. The school has a well-organised approach to identifying SEND. Teachers have a good understanding of what they must do to help and have received the training necessary to do so.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Disadvantaged pupils are well-supported. The school's pupil premium strategy accurately identifies the barriers that these pupils face. The actions that it sets out are fit for purpose. However, while leaders keep a close eye on how these pupils are getting on, they do not carry out sufficiently detailed checks on how effectively their strategy is working.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils who are looked after are carefully monitored. The school works effectively with a wide range of external agencies, including the local authority's virtual school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and ambitious vision to develop pupils’ ‘Aspirations, Collaboration and Experiences’. This vision is evident in the day-to-day operation of the school. Leaders have high expectations of what pupils can achieve, foster a culture in which everyone works together in pupils’ best interests, and provide pupils with experiences and opportunities that prepare them well for life in modern Britain. Leaders know their school well. They know where strengths lie and where further work is needed to strengthen provision. They have a demonstrable track record of bringing about improvements, including in behaviour, provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and, quite dramatically, attendance. However, in some cases leaders do not use the full range of information that they hold to check on the impact of the school’s work. This includes in aspects of behaviour, teaching and their quality assurance

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

work. As a result, they do not have a highly detailed view of their successes and where relative weaknesses might emerge over time.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Positive relationships sit at the heart of the school. Leaders have built a cohesive and united staff team. Staff unanimously agree that leaders take good care of their workload and wellbeing. The school’s training programme is well organised. It ensures that staff receive the training they need to carry out their duties effectively. Leaders check that training is put into practice.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The work of the trust is systematic and well organised. It provides the school with a well- balanced combination of support and challenge. In turn, trustees hold trust leaders to good account for the impact of their work with the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school is highly regarded by parents and carers. As one parent summed up in a letter to inspectors, ‘Cavendish Close goes above and beyond.’

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s personal development offer aims for pupils to ‘Believe, Achieve and Succeed’, and it does this well. The school’s curriculum for personal, social and health education (PSHE) and relationships education is well designed. It takes into account the specific challenges that pupils face.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school’s 10-point pledge helps pupils to understand how to be active members of their community. It helps them to understand how to be resilient, how to solve problems and how to be effective communicators, to name but a few examples. Pupils know how these qualities help them to be good citizens.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn to be inclusive, respectful and tolerant. They learn about a wide range of people, places and communities from around the world. They have an age-appropriate understanding of fundamental British values and the protected characteristics. They are determined that there are ‘no outsiders’ at their school.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The school provides a broad range of activities that enrich and extend the curriculum. The school works closely with the fire service, local police and utility companies, helping pupils to learn about a wide range of jobs that may be open to them in the future. Pupils look forward to the outdoor activities that they undertake. Leaders ensure that the extra-curricular offer, including activities in sports and the arts, is available to all pupils.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pastoral support is a strength of the school. Staff have been trained to be experts in supporting pupils’ social, emotional and mental health needs. They do this well. Pupils are proud of the positive contribution that they make to their school. Roles, including head pupils, sports councillors, academy councillors and eco councillors are taken seriously. Older pupils are eager to help out. They are positive role models for younger ones. Overall, pupils are prepared well for their next stages of education and for life in modern Britain.

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

Cavendish Close Junior Academy is a calm, respectful and happy school. Positive relationships between pupils and staff underpin everything that happens. The school gets to know its pupils well, understands the multiple challenges that they face and puts the right help in place at the right time. It is inclusive. As a result, from their relative starting points, pupils thrive. By the end of their time at the school, the proportion of pupils achieving the standards expected of them is typically in line with national averages.

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

Pupils know that they are expected to be safe, be respectful and to be engaged. On a daily basis, they do their utmost to live up to these expectations. They are well behaved and supportive of one another. They are eager to help out if anyone struggles. Many demonstrate an impressive level of courtesy, including holding doors open for one another and greeting each other warmly around the school. Pupils value the vast range of rewards and incentives on offer, including earning points, collecting marbles for jars, being awarded miniature ducks and enjoying hot chocolate with the principal. The list goes on. When pupils struggle to live up to the school's expectations, staff provide consistently good-quality help and support.

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

Pupils enjoy attending. They are happy to be there. They are well looked after and feel safe. Bullying is rare but is dealt with swiftly when it occurs. Rates of attendance have improved significantly over the last few years and are significantly higher than national figures.

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

Pupils' personal development is well supported. They learn about a range of people, communities and religions from around the world. They learn to be tolerant, respectful and inclusive. Pupils benefit from a vast range of extracurricular and enrichment activities that broaden their experiences.

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Next steps

The school should ensure that teachers consistently check on how well pupils are getting on in lessons so that anyone who begins to fall behind is quickly identified and supported. Leaders should ensure that they carefully evaluate the impact that their pupil premium strategy has on disadvantaged pupils. Leaders should ensure that they use the full range of information that they have to evaluate the impact of the school’s work over time.

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Team inspectors:

Nyree Parker, His Majesty's Inspector Mark Anderson, 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

This school is part of The Harmony Trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Antony Hughes, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Andrew McCully.

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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 held meetings with the principal, the assistant principals, senior leaders and trust representatives, including the chief executive officer and a representative of the board of trustees.

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About this inspection

The school uses no alternative provisions.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

There have been no significant changes since the school’s last inspection which took place in January 2022.

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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 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 (final) 66% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 56% 61% 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

2024/25 (final) 79% 75% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 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 (final) 73% 72% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 72% 72% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 70% 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

2024/25 (final) 78% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 67% 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 (final) 50% 47% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 49% 46% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 46% 44% 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

2023/24 (final) 62% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 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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average

2024/25 (final) 61% 59% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 68% 58% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 64% 58% Close to average

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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 (final) 64% 61% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 62% 59% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 61% 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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Persistent absence

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

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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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