Wroughton Junior Academy

Wroughton Junior Academy

Address: Burgh Road, Gorleston, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, NR31 8BD Unique reference number (URN): 143522

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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

Disadvantaged pupils have been achieving standards in line with similar pupils nationally over the last 3 years. Disadvantaged pupils, as a whole, were achieving below other pupils nationally until recently, but are now achieving in line with national averages. This means that pupils now leave school well prepared for secondary school. Leaders are highly focused on making sure that the gap between disadvantaged pupils and those who are non- disadvantaged does not grow.

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Achievement Expected standard

A particularly targeted focus on learning core number facts has resulted in pupils' achievement in the Year 4 multiplication check now being above national averages, from below previously. Overall, pupils secure the knowledge in English and mathematics that they need to be ready for learning in secondary school. Pupils' achievement in other subjects is more variable.

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Achievement Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities make progress in line with their peers from their starting points. For pupils who need it, adapted work across the curriculum helps them access new learning.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils' attendance has improved gradually over time. It still sits below national averages, but leaders are working tenaciously to improve it further. Additional members of staff have been appointed to support families to get their children into school. The school works with external attendance specialists to improve attendance. Some pupils have very low attendance, but the school provides a high level of vigilance in checking on them. The school provides educational materials and works on strategies to get pupils back into school. The same applies to pupils who have extended periods of absence or who are vulnerable in other ways. This helps improve individual pupils' attendance.

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Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils' behaviour is excellent. Staff have highly consistent expectations of how pupils should behave. Pupils understand these expectations. They show this in their day-to-day attitudes to school. Pupils focus and work hard in lessons. Bullying and discrimination are not accepted. Where pupils are unkind to each other, this is dealt with by staff firmly but fairly. This includes any online incidents. Pupils are highly welcoming to those who join their school.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The school makes use of a well-planned and sequenced curriculum. Thoughtfully chosen resources and activities support teachers' knowledge of what they are teaching. Ongoing training and staff support mean that the curriculum is generally taught well. Teachers use core strategies introduced by leaders, for example asking pupils to repeat a sentence back, or modelling what good examples look like. The resources used are consistent across subjects, so pupils know exactly how to use them, for example their 'knowledge notes' with core vocabulary and concepts for each lesson. There are some inconsistencies in how well teachers challenge pupils to apply their knowledge in subjects other than English and mathematics. Sometimes the resources used limit pupils' ability to deepen their thinking.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Teachers check for misconceptions effectively. They ensure pupils know what they need to do to improve their work. Generally, teachers identify any gaps in pupils' learning well and put in place additional activities to help meet these needs. This includes additional phonics tuition for pupils who have not yet developed fluent reading.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are fully part of their class, even when they are working on different activities to peers. They feel included and are supported effectively.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The school has a much higher proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged, or who are vulnerable in other ways, than is typical. Leaders are passionate about making sure these pupils are just as successful as their peers. Every pupil's progress and attainment is rigorously tracked and discussed on a regular basis. This means that additional teaching or other catch-up activities are targeted appropriately. Leaders also check that different pupil groups benefit from the many free clubs available. They then adapt what is available and introduce new clubs to interest those who have not attended before.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities generally have their needs met within class. Leaders identify a wide range of strategies, from physical aids to adult support, to adapted work to meet pupils' needs. However, there is some inconsistency in how well all aspects of pupils' difficulties are written about in plans and then addressed in class. For example, sometimes core skills of writing, such as letter formation, are not directly addressed, despite this holding back pupils' progress.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The use of alternative provision is well considered and appropriate for pupils who access this. Leaders work very closely and positively with families of pupils who do not attend regularly or who have extended absences.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The leadership of the school has changed significantly since the previous inspection. The trust has grown its central support structure alongside this. This has resulted in a stable leadership team, committed to the school for the long-term, for the first time in a while. Staff appreciate leaders' commitment to explaining any reasons for change and then sticking with these rather than the past rapid changes. This has also meant that parents and carers have more trust in the school.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders at all levels understand the school's context and current state well. They are ambitious and know there is more to do so that pupils achieve their full potential. They have correctly focused staff development on the core areas of the curriculum first. Now that these are more consistent, leaders are starting to further develop the wider curriculum, to deepen staff knowledge and to make the curriculum highly relevant to the local area. Leaders ensure that staff feel well supported and that workload is considered, including for early career teachers.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The different levels of governance work well with each other, informing each other's work, without unnecessary duplication. The academy council, which is mainly made up of parents, ensures that local community links remain highly important. All levels of leadership and governance ensure that safeguarding and other statutory duties are met.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Personal development is a key leadership responsibility in the school. This ensures it remains a priority. The school has revised its personal, social and health education curriculum. Leaders are monitoring the impact of this curriculum. Pupils have a sound understanding of fundamental British values. They enthusiastically explain how they have a rap to help them remember these. Pupils know more than just the names and can explain how they show values such as respect and cooperation.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Pupils learn how to recognise risk and stay safe. Given the school's location close to major waterways and roads, pupils' safety is a core topic within the curriculum. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Leaders also respond to local issues, for example introducing extra lessons for one year group on being safe online.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

There is a wide range of clubs on offer to pupils, most at no cost to parents and carers. Leaders listen to pupils' opinions regularly to adapt these clubs. They particularly focus on pupils who are vulnerable or otherwise disadvantaged, to make sure there are clubs that appeal to them. The school has particular success in sporting competitions, advancing to both county and national level.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

The curriculum is further enriched by themed days, for example the whole school day focused on careers and aspirations, which involved many members of the local community. Leaders work with other schools to promote pupils' wider development. For example, the school pairs up with another local school to ensure that pupils can be 'debate mates'.

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Personal development and wellbeing Expected standard

Leaders ensure that pastoral care is well considered. There is a range of appropriate support on offer for pupils and families who need extra help.

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

Pupils enjoy attending school. They are welcomed warmly each day by staff. Pupils have positive relationships with staff. Pupils are proud of their house groups and work hard to earn house points, for example by showing off their 'wow walking', moving quietly around the school. They are enthusiastic about the different learning activities they have and the trips they have been on. These enhance their learning. Pupils are successful in sporting activities, for example reaching a national dodgeball final. All this means that pupils have a real sense of belonging to their school. They are welcoming to those who join throughout the year. Pupils behave well. Pupils follow the consistent expectations across the school. Classrooms are calm and focused. Pupils trust staff and know who they would go to if they felt unsafe. Any misbehaviour or bullying is dealt with promptly and in a supportive way. Pupils attend

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

more regularly than in the past. However, there are some pupils who still have quite low attendance. Leaders work closely with their families to identify the barriers to regular attendance. This helps individuals to improve their attendance.

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

Pupils benefit from lessons that are generally taught well, which enable them to make progress. In national tests and assessments, more pupils are now achieving the expected standard for their age than was the case in the past. Staff know pupils well and so adapt provision to help those with special educational needs and/or disabilities or those who are vulnerable. Teachers regularly check on what pupils know and have not remembered. They then change upcoming learning and activities to make sure pupils do not develop gaps in their learning. Year 6 pupils are well prepared to move on to secondary school, both academically and in terms of their confidence to deal with challenge.

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Next steps

Ensure that teachers understand and adapt strategies for supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities more precisely, so that pupils can make sustained progress. Ensure that pupils have the opportunities to apply and develop their understanding further in subjects other than English and mathematics. Ensure that disadvantaged pupils' attainment rises alongside that of other pupils so that the gap with non-disadvantaged pupils nationally reduces.

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About this inspection

This school is part of Creative Academies Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Nicole McCartney, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Abbie Rumbold.

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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 school leaders, a trustee, the trust director of education, staff, parents and pupils during the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspectors confirmed the following information about the school:

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About this inspection

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

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About this inspection

The current headteacher has been in post since September 2024.

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Team inspectors:

Susan Child, Ofsted Inspector Imran Khan, 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 9 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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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?

National average: 300 Headteacher: Jessica Balls

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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

2024/25 (final) 56% 62% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 55% 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) 71% 75% 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) 74% 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

2024/25 (final) 75% 74% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 69% 73% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 71% 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) 39% 47% Close to average

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national average

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

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national average

2022/23 (final) 40% 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

2024/25 (final) 56% 63% Close to average

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average

2023/24 (final) 61% 62% Close to average

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average

2022/23 (final) 49% 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

2022/23 (final) 53% 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) 61% 59% Close to average

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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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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.

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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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