Donnington Wood CofE Voluntary Controlled Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 22 October 2024

Donnington Wood Juniors is a caring school. It is a place where pupils develop close friendships and are kind to each other. Pupils understand the importance of perseverance and maintaining hope when things become challenging. Parents know that their children are happy and safe. Many are grateful for the support they receive when they need help. The school has worked effectively to raise expectations of what pupils can achieve. There is further work to do to ensure that this is the case, but leaders, supported by a dedicated team, now know exactly how to achieve this. Pupils behave well and know the importance of good listening and showing respect. They understand what bullying is and feel confident that trusted adults will help should they feel threatened. Pupils recognise that everybody is different and that this should be celebrated. They welcome those who arrive new to the school and make sure that they feel included and safe. Pupils understand the importance of positive mental and physical health. The school makes good use of technology to support pupils' understanding of the wider world and to access learning beyond the classroom. They love exploring ancient civilisations through virtual reality and enjoy a range of educational trips and visits.

What the school should improve

• Despite the school identifying that more opportunities to develop verbal and written reasoning are needed, more work is required. A lack of independent practice is preventing some pupils from deepening their understanding of mathematical concepts. The school should provide regular opportunities for pupils to develop their reasoning skills in mathematics with greater independence.
• The school's new approach to supporting those at the early stages of writing is not being delivered consistently well. This means that some pupils are not being supported to form letters, spell, and write sentences at an age-appropriate level. The school should ensure that the expected approaches for writing are applied by all staff.
• Some pupils with SEND do not have the necessary adaptations made to enable them to access learning. This means they are expected to complete work that is not well matched to their needs. The school should ensure that all staff consistently adapt learning to support pupils with SEND to make progress.

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