North Walsham Junior School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 21 September 2022

The school's vision is for pupils to embrace the mantra 'big dreams for our futures'. This is demonstrated in the way staff encourage pupils to always aim high. Pupils leave the school with great confidence and a strong sense of optimism for their future lives. Pupils' knowledge builds well across most of the subjects that they study. Pupils effectively manage their own behaviours and feelings. A small number of pupils who find this more difficult benefit from the mutual support of those around them. Pupils show respect for their peers and staff. Pupils know that bullying is unkind. They say that it happens rarely. If it does happen, they know support is available that will help. For example, pupils know they can use the class 'worry box' or ask an adult in the school if they need help. Pupils are also taught knowledge that helps them make safe choices. This includes lessons on knowing how to use the internet safely. Pupils take part in the wide range of creative and sports activities available. These include taking part in the art club or playing a musical instrument. Pupils like the expert sports coaching they receive at school. They also enjoy the trips to local historic sites that bring their learning to life.

What the school should improve

• In a few subjects, leaders have not fully clarified their expectations for the specific knowledge that should be prioritised and remembered by pupils. This means that sometimes the curriculum in these subjects is not helping pupils to secure important knowledge, step by step. Leaders should complete the work started to ensure that the essential knowledge that pupils need to know and apply is explicitly clear. This will support teachers to build fluency in pupils' recall of what they know and check that it is secured in their memories.

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