Janet Duke Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 30 June 2026

Pupils, staff, parents and carers value being part of Janet Duke Primary School. Pupils enjoy learning in a welcoming, inclusive school where everyone is encouraged to succeed. Pupils know the school motto, ‘Together We Learn, Together We Achieve, As One’, and demonstrate it through their actions and relationships. Pupils who join the school during the school year are made to feel welcome quickly. Pupils are happy, safe and well cared for. They show a strong sense of belonging and take pride in their school. Pupils build positive relationships with staff, who know them and their families well. Pupils typically behave appropriately in lessons and play well together at social times. Pupils are confident that bullying is rare and that adults deal with it quickly when it occurs. Pupils, including those who face barriers to learning, are fully included in school life. They play an active role in shaping the school, for example as nature warriors and librarians. Pupils understand the importance of academic achievement, emotional health and wellbeing. They enjoy opportunities that broaden their experiences and develop their talents, such as working with an artist in residence and completing the school’s ‘100 Life Experiences’. For too long, many pupils, including the most disadvantaged, have not achieved as well as they should. However, pupils’ books and responses in lessons show that achievement is improving. It is more positive than published performance data suggests, particularly in reading and mathematics. Most pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged, progress well from their starting points. However, some pupils do not attend regularly and do not achieve as well as they should. Attendance is particularly low for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with SEND. These pupils do not learn as well as their peers who attend regularly.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should improve attendance, particularly for disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), so that more pupils benefit fully from the school’s provision and achieve as well as they should.
• Leaders should continue to build on improvements in teaching so that pupils, including pupils with SEND and disadvantaged pupils, make strong progress so that they achieve as well as they can, particularly in writing.

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