Horndean Church of England Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 26 April 2022

The school's 'TLC' values (Thinking with Thanksgiving, Learning with Love, Caring with Compassion) run through the school like the words in a stick of rock. Pupils are proud of these values and feel that they define their school well. They are evident wherever you look and whomever you speak to, and they help to make the school a very special place. One of the ways the TLC values can be seen is in the focus on inclusivity and acceptance. Pupils recognise that everyone has their own strengths and things that they find tricky. Pupils say that even when someone has a 'bad day', they make sure that others can still learn. Pupils feel that the TLC values are why everyone's behaviour is so impressive at the school. As a consequence of this strong ethos, pupils are very happy at the school. They feel safe. They know that sometimes people make mistakes and can be unkind. They are confident that staff will sort this out quickly if they know about it. Aligned to these high expectations for behaviour and attitudes are equally high aspirations for pupils' learning. Pupils work really hard to realise these expectations in all that they do.

What the school should improve

• More younger pupils need help with their reading than has previously been the case. Leaders have ensured that there is a systematic synthetic phonics programme in place and that staff are trained to deliver it. Staff are fully on board with this approach, but some need to increase their confidence with new approaches. Leaders need to ensure that this programme is closely monitored as it is embedded, so that pupils make up these knowledge gaps quickly.

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