Cassiobury Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils happily attend this friendly and caring school. Staff and pupils have positive relationships with each other. There is a culture of mutual respect.

Pupils are confident that adults in the school will help them with any worries or concerns. This means pupils feel safe and are safe.

Pupils live up to the staff's high expectations in terms of work and behaviour.

Classrooms are quiet and orderly. This means that pupils can work hard and concentrate. The pupils know that getting the best out of their learning is important as it will help them in the future.

They achieve well.

Pupils learn to understand and celebrate differences. They show ...compassion and kindness to others.

Pupils know that everyone is unique. They are proud of their school and their peers.

Pupils love to help.

They take on extra responsibilities with enthusiasm and excitement. Pupils learn much from these. For instance, they learn to be sensible role models and give back to their community.

This helps pupils to be well prepared for the next stage in their education and life beyond school.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school has ambitious and well-developed subject curriculum plans. These follow a logical order.

They help staff to plan lessons that connect and develop pupils' knowledge over time. The staff are well trained and show strong subject knowledge. This means they can answer pupils' questions effectively and guide them to learn more.

Teachers explain new learning clearly to pupils. They plan activities that help pupils to use and remember past knowledge. As a result, pupils remember and build on what they have learned.

The school checks the effectiveness of subject plans and teaching approaches. It uses these checks to make improvements and changes to the curriculum. In a small number of subjects, these changes have not yet had time to make a difference.

In these subjects, pupils' learning is less secure because teaching has not been as highly effective as in most other subjects.

Pupils love to read. The school is keen to promote this further.

There are many engaging spaces across the school where pupils can relax and enjoy books. The school checks pupils' phonics knowledge as soon as they start at the school. This ensures that the school has an accurate view of how well pupils can read.

Any pupils who are not yet fluent readers learn a methodical phonics programme. Skilled staff help pupils develop the knowledge needed to read unfamiliar words. Pupils read interesting books that match their phonics knowledge.

Overall, pupils achieve highly in reading.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported in class by skilled staff. As a result, they can learn the same curriculum as their peers.

The school works closely with families and obtains guidance from external agencies when needed. This means that pupils' needs are accurately identified. The school is able to provide more individualised support when this is needed.

Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well.

Due to the well-established behaviour routines, pupils behave well. They know that staff members will treat them fairly.

Pupils work hard as they know their education is likely to help them have more varied career opportunities.

Pupils at this school have an inner confidence that shines through. They are resilient and responsible.

The school develops pupils' characters through a rich set of extra-curricular activities that pupils really value. The school enables all pupils to take part and experience new things. Pupils' mental health and well-being are a high priority.

School leaders and governors work well together. They are focused on what can make the school even better. Staff are well considered and included in decision-making, for instance when making changes to subjects.

Staff value the opportunities they have to develop and improve their teaching.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The changes made to the implementation of a small number of subjects are not yet fully and consistently in place.

Staff are not yet fully delivering all the content and pedagogical approaches as leaders intend. This means that pupils are not making as much progress in these subjects as they could. The school needs to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and assessment on pupils' learning and put in place support and training where needed.