Jolesfield CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 3 July 2023

Pupils enjoy coming to school. From the very start, in the early years, staff get to know pupils well. They keep parents updated and regularly invite them into school to celebrate pupils' successes. Pupils exemplify the school's values of 'thankfulness, respect, teamwork, kindness and positivity'. As a result, as one parent reported to inspectors, 'Jolesfield feels like a community and it's lovely that the kids all know and support each other.' Bullying is not tolerated. Leaders deal effectively with any unkind behaviour and help pupils to navigate any friendship issues. All pupils feel comfortable to report a concern of any sort, either by speaking to an adult or using a 'worry box'. They are rightly confident that teachers will act and look after them. One pupil summed up the feelings of many when they told inspectors, 'I wouldn't change a single thing about this school.' Pupils learn valuable life skills. They enjoy the school's many clubs and trips, and take pride in leadership positions, such as 'digital leaders' and 'school ambassadors', which enable them to contribute to their school community. Staff set high expectations for pupils' learning. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to teachers' instructions and are eager to take part in activities. They achieve well.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, including in the early years, leaders are still refining the curriculum. This means that teachers are not always clear on precisely what knowledge needs to be taught and when. Leaders should continue with their improvement plans to ensure that teachers know how pupils' knowledge should build systematically over their time at school.
• Where guidance about the sequencing of learning is not yet clear enough, activities are not necessarily matched well to what pupils already know or need to learn. Teachers are not always building on secure foundations or are focused more on pupils' enjoyment than content. Leaders should ensure that teachers understand the components of learning that pupils need to learn and remember in all subjects.

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