Brookland Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 April 2026

Pupils are happy, polite, and enjoy coming to school. They feel welcome and secure in the school's warm and nurturing environment. Pupils' positive attitudes to learning show how much they enjoy their lessons. Pupils embrace school life and the opportunities it offers. They participate enthusiastically in a wide range of activities. This includes disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils particularly relish their breaktimes when they can play creatively with their friends using the exciting equipment that the school provides. Pupils develop strong, trusting relationships with staff, who know them well. Pupils feel safe and confident to speak to staff if they have worries or concerns. They know that staff will listen and will help them. Pupils show respectful attitudes to staff and to each other. They learn how to manage relationships such as friendships. Incidents of poor behaviour or bullying are rare. However, pupils trust staff to act swiftly should they ever occur. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, both academically and personally. Pupils know the importance of the skills they are developing, such as independence. They understand the reasons behind decisions, for example, about behaviour expectations. These skills support a smooth transition to the next phase of education. Pupils who require additional support receive carefully tailored adaptations that meet their needs effectively. As a result, pupils achieve well, particularly in mathematics and reading. This includes disadvantaged pupils, and those pupils with SEND. Pupils know that their thoughts and ideas are important to staff. For instance, they know that staff take account of their views when planning experiences such as those for pupils' wider development. Pupils benefit from activities that extend learning beyond the classroom. For example, trips to London museums enhance pupils’ knowledge while developing independence through real-life experiences, including using public transport.

What the school should improve

• Staff should take appropriate action to identify and address errors in pupils' spelling and handwriting in all curriculum subjects, in order to strengthen these aspects of pupils' foundational knowledge.
• Leaders should continue to support disadvantaged pupils to attend school regularly so that their attendance improves even further.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils have more opportunities to practise and apply their writing knowledge across the curriculum.

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