Sitwell Junior School

Sitwell Junior School

Address: Sitwell Junior School, Grange Road, Rotherham, South Yorkshire, S60 3LA Unique reference number (URN): 141060

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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 Strong standard

Pupils enjoy attending school. Leaders create an environment where pupils feel that they belong and do not want to miss out on learning and playing with their friends. Rates of absence are lower than local and national averages. Leaders carefully analyse patterns in absence, using this insight to swiftly remove barriers where these are within the school’s control. This quickly helps those pupils who are more commonly absent to improve their attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Strong standard

Pupils consistently behave well. They enjoy coming to school. This is reflected in the positive attitudes that they demonstrate towards their learning. Pupils move swiftly and maturely when changing between lessons. This ensures that opportunities for learning are maximised. In lessons, pupils are attentive and focus on their studies. They are eager to do well and respond to the high expectations established by leaders. Staff routinely praise pupils for their efforts and contributions. This fosters an environment where pupils are confident and prepared to take risks in their learning, knowing that teachers and peers will support them, regardless of the outcome. Across school, pupils are respectful and courteous to others. Bullying and discrimination are very rare. Staff address these instances swiftly and effectively.

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

The school has established comprehensive personal, social and health education and relationships and health and sex education curriculums for pupils. Leaders consider local risks, the views of parents and carers and other contextual factors to ensure that these are well designed and meet the needs of pupils. Important messages from these curriculums are frequently revisited and reinforced by staff. In combination, this ensures that pupils develop an impressive and quickly expanding knowledge of this content. They know how to keep themselves safe, including how to manage risks associated with online activities. Pupils demonstrate a detailed understanding of different cultures and faiths. They make connections between this knowledge and their learning about equality. This knowledge positively influences their behaviour and how they interact with others who are different from themselves. This enhances the school’s inclusive culture, with new pupils welcomed into the

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Personal development and wellbeing Strong standard

Beyond the taught curriculum, pupils benefit from a carefully planned range of wider opportunities. Leaders ensure that these are developed around the needs of pupils and families. This includes providing access to activities that leaders’ analysis suggests that pupils otherwise do not get. The school’s provision to help pupils develop their talents and interests is diverse and interesting. Pupils enjoy and make regular use of these. Opportunities to learn to play musical instruments and perform to an audience are particularly valued. Leaders ensure that such experiences are accessible to all pupils. Educational visits and sessions from external speakers further strengthen pupils’ preparation for the wider world. As a result of the quality of the school’s work, pupils are mature, motivated and resilient.

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Expected standard

Many pupils contribute to the school through leadership roles. These are varied and purposeful, improving the experience of peers. For example, student council members have influenced decisions about the range of play equipment while library and locker monitors help their friends and reinforce the importance of respecting the school environment.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils’ attainment in national assessments is positive. Results at the end of key stage 2 have improved in recent years. Typically, pupils attain at least in line with the national average. The school’s small number of disadvantaged pupils attain well, and in some subjects this is comparable with the national average for pupils who are not disadvantaged. Generally, pupils make secure progress from their starting points. Despite this, the number of pupils who achieve the higher standard in reading, writing and mathematics is not significantly different to the national average and remains an area of focus for the school.

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Achievement Expected standard

Generally, pupils who begin school with gaps in their knowledge receive help that ensures these are overcome. For example, support ensures that pupils quickly learn to read accurately where this is identified as an issue. However, the school has not consistently achieved such rapid progress for those pupils who require support with their spelling, punctuation and grammar or reading fluency.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school has refined its curriculum since the previous inspection. Leaders have ensured that knowledge is carefully broken down and sequenced within subjects. This helps pupils to learn the curriculum in a logical order so that learning builds securely over time.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers have suitable knowledge of the subjects that they teach. Leaders ensure that professional learning helps to develop this further. This enables staff to understand the teaching approaches that the school promotes. New initiatives, such as the school’s work to strengthen pupils’ spoken language, are well considered. These strategies enhance pupils’ learning, including for those pupils with additional barriers, such as for pupils who speak English as an additional language. Typically, teachers introduce new learning clearly and use questioning approaches to establish how well pupils have understood this. When teaching is most effective, staff adapt their practice to help pupils deepen their understanding and to ensure errors are quickly addressed. However, sometimes teachers do not consistently help pupils to correct these, and errors persist.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Generally, the school supports pupils to resolve gaps in basic knowledge and skills quickly. For example, pupils quickly learn to form their writing correctly. Similarly, those who need help to read words accurately secure their phonics knowledge quickly. However, weaknesses in some pupils’ spelling or reading fluency remain priorities for the school to address.

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Inclusion Expected standard

From when pupils join the school, leaders successfully ensure that any barriers to learning are identified and that appropriate support is put in place. Leaders work alongside previous schools and external agencies, including educational psychologists and speech and language therapists, to build an accurate picture of pupils’ needs and to provide targeted support. The school uses this to develop agreed strategies to ensure that pupils achieve well. Where it is right to do so, leaders implement more significant adjustments to pupils’ provision. For example, a small number of pupils access their learning through the school’s recently established ‘Woodlands’ provision. The school makes sure that these pupils’ speech, language and communication needs are met, enabling them to benefit more fully from the school’s curriculum.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school’s pupil premium strategy identifies significant barriers to disadvantaged pupils achieving well. Leaders use relevant research to inform the actions they take to help pupils to overcome these challenges. These actions are well conceived, and in some areas contribute to securing the desired improvements. However, these improvements are not consistent. The school’s analysis of the impact of the strategy requires further sharpening to aid governors ability to hold leaders to account for the impact of this funding and to inform revisions to the strategy.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have an accurate understanding of the school. They know its strengths and those areas which still require further refinements. Leaders are committed to enhancing the educational experiences and outcomes of pupils. The school provides staff with high-quality professional learning. New initiatives are implemented in a considered way, allowing staff to become confident in applying this training before moving on to the next step. This helps to ensure that staff workload is reasonable and that their wellbeing is supported. Leaders enable staff to gain wider professional expertise, such as by working with colleagues in other schools within the trust or through nationally recognised qualifications. This contributes to staff enjoying working in the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have carefully improved the school since the previous inspection. They have taken a considered approach to addressing priorities around the curriculum and arrangements for governance. The school’s revised governance model has strengthened systems and improved lines of accountability. These renewed arrangements are relatively recently implemented and still embedding. Sometimes, systems to evaluate the impact of strategies, including the school’s pupil premium strategy, lack sufficient precision and do not support leaders’ decision-making as well as they might. In instances where this is the case, it can limit how effectively those with responsibility for governance can scrutinise and support the work of the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The school has developed positive relationships with parents and carers. Leaders consider the views of families when making decisions about the school. A significant majority of parents express favourable views of the school.

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

During their time at Sitwell Junior School, pupils develop strong friendships with their peers. When combined with the respectful and supportive relationships that they establish with staff, this helps pupils to feel safe, happy and confident in school. Pupils behave impressively. They focus on their studies, ensure that opportunities for learning are maximised and play well together. Disruptions to learning are very rare. Pupils know how to resolve differences between themselves. Consequently, bullying and other acts of unkindness rarely happen. When they do, staff respond well, ensuring that incidents are resolved and that pupils receive the support that they need. Pupils have high levels of confidence in staff to help them whenever this is needed.

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

New pupils quickly settle and integrate into this welcoming school community. Staff know pupils and their families well. They are committed to ensuring that pupils benefit from a high- quality education and high standards of care. Staff's detailed understanding of pupils enables them to quickly put the right support in place for pupils to be successful. As a result, pupils, including those with barriers to their learning, attend regularly and benefit from the school's offer. They achieve highly both academically and in their wider development.

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

Leaders ensure that pupils access lots of opportunities that enhance their preparation for later learning and life. These enable pupils to grow in maturity and to understand the importance of being positive members of society. Pupils enjoy contributing to good causes, such as through fundraising for charities, and helping others in the school and the local community. Pupils value the range of educational visits and clubs available to them. These allow pupils to learn more about the world around them and to develop their talents and interests.

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Next steps

Leaders should refine systems to evaluate the impact of the school's work, such as the pupil premium strategy, ensuring that this improved insight better supports decision- making and the oversight of those with responsibility for governance. Leaders should further strengthen work to support pupils who need help with their spelling or reading fluency so that these gaps in knowledge and skills are rapidly closed.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Inspire Learning Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, David Naisbitt, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Anne Hinds.

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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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Team inspectors:

Adrian Fearn, Ofsted Inspector Ruth Beckett, Ofsted Inspector

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This was the data available at the time of the full inspection, taken from different sources . More recent data may have been published since the full inspection took place.

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Facts and figures used on inspection

The inspector(s) used this data during the full inspection on 23 June 2026

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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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School capacity

Inspectors spoke with the headteacher and other senior leaders from the school and trust, including the chief executive officer of the trust. The lead inspector spoke with members of the trust board and the local governing board. During the inspection, inspectors visited lessons across a range of subjects and year groups as well as speaking with pupils and reviewing samples of their work. They also spoke with other members of the school's teaching and non-teaching staff.

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School capacity

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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School capacity

The school does not use any providers of alternative provision.

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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 6 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 needs support 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) 60% 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

2024/25 (final) 77% 75% Close to average

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national 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 (final) 76% 72% 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) 68% 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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average

2022/23 (final) 69% 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

2022/23 (final) 69% 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

2023/24 (3 term) 5.5% 5.5% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 6.0% 5.9% 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

2023/24 (3 term) 17.3% 14.6% Close to average

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national average

2022/23 (3 term) 19.0% 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.

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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

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