Bolsover Church of England Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 April 2022

Bolsover is a happy school. Pupils enjoy their learning and their friends. They told inspectors: 'The teachers make the learning fun.' Pupils are proud of their school. They say that they feel safe. Pupils know that the staff care for them. Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. They have high expectations of pupils. The school's Christian values permeate its work. Pupils understand these values. They have positive attitudes towards their work and towards each other. Pupils are aspirational. They want to achieve. Pupils like being pupil ambassadors, looking after the environment and being school councillors. Pupils are polite and respectful. They behave well. Pupils know what is expected of them. They know that staff deal quickly with any bullying. One pupil told inspectors: 'If we are worried, the staff will help us. There is a worry box in classroom, and they check it every day. Teachers are kind.' Pupils know that staff quickly sort out any problems. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about the school. One parent, typical of many, said: 'Mrs Bailey and her team have done a brilliant job at turning the school around.' Parents particularly appreciate how dedicated, friendly and hard-working the staff are.

What the school should improve

• The key knowledge and content that pupils need to learn in some subjects is not sufficiently well considered and sequenced, unlike in other areas of the curriculum. In some subjects, it is not yet fully clear what pupils should learn and by when, to build their knowledge over time. Some pupils have an inconsistent recall of their learning over time. Leaders should ensure that curriculum thinking for all subjects sets out precisely the knowledge that all pupils, including those with SEND, in all year groups, should know and by when.
• Approaches to assessment do not consistently identify gaps in pupils' learning. In some subjects, where curriculum thinking is less clear, teachers do not check effectively how successfully pupils acquire knowledge and use it fluently. Leaders should ensure that assessment consistently assists teachers in producing clear next steps for pupils without causing unnecessary burdens for staff and pupils.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)