Haddenham Community Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 1 July 2025

The warm relationships between pupils and staff start at the school gate. Caring staff greet pupils by name as they walk into school with smiles on their faces. Pupils are happy and feel safe, knowing that staff will support them if they have any worries. Pupils are equally supportive of each other. They are keen to ensure that everyone feels part of this welcoming community. The range of activities on offer at lunchtime keep pupils physically healthy. They enjoy playing table tennis and using the outdoor gym and climbing wall. Pupils know what it means to be a good person. Younger pupils value the support they receive from their older reading buddies. The eco-council enables pupils to take responsibility for their environment. Pupils plant and tend to their own hanging baskets and regularly pick up litter. Pupils know that staff have high expectations for their behaviour. Most pupils live up to these in the classroom. Pupils play well together at breaktimes and move sensibly around the school. The school expects all pupils to achieve well. Pupils respond well to this, showing eagerness to learn and thriving when challenged.

What the school should improve

• The work given to pupils is not always adapted to meet their needs. As a result, some pupils, including those with SEND, are not sufficiently challenged or supported to build on their prior learning. This limits how well they deepen their knowledge over time. The school should ensure that learning meets the needs of pupils so they can make secure progress.
• The persistent absence of some pupils remains too high. As a result, these pupils do not fully benefit from the education and wider opportunities that the school offers. Leaders, including governors, need to ensure they have strong oversight of pupils' attendance and take effective action so that pupils, including disadvantaged pupils, attend regularly and do not miss out on important learning.
• The governing body does not always have sufficient oversight of the impact of some aspects of the school's actions. This limits how well it can support and challenge the school's development. Governors should ensure they develop a clear understanding of the school's provision and its impact, so they can provide the right level of support and challenge to drive further improvement.

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