Wilnecote Junior Academy

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 June 2024

Many pupils report that they are happy at Wilnecote Junior Academy and enjoy social times. They know that if they have a concern they can approach an adult who will help them to resolve it. Pupils are clear about how they are supported to stay safe, for example, online. However, many pupils report that they are frustrated by the inconsistencies in the school. These include how they can be disturbed in class by poor behaviour or how they are taught. One pupil, typical of many, said the school 'could be better'. The curriculum has been renewed by leaders across the school. Some of the curriculum is very new, and there are inconsistencies in how well pupils are supported to learn the curriculum in a range of subjects. Pupils enjoy music and the many opportunities they have to perform and to develop their musical knowledge with instruments. Pupils appreciate the trips and visits that the school organises, including work in the local community. This includes litter picking in the local area and writing Christmas cards for a retirement home. Pupils especially enjoy 'forest Friday' when they take part in activities outside.

What the school should improve

• The school's evaluation of the impact of its work is imprecise and has been too generous over time. This means that the school is unclear about areas of priority and the steps required to secure sustained improvements. The school should ensure that the impact of its work is systemically measured and evaluated across all areas, and realistic steps are identified to secure improvements.
• There are inconsistencies in how well some staff support pupils in the reading catch-up groups. As a result, these pupils do not make sufficient progress to help them to achieve in line with expectations. Leaders should ensure that pupils who have fallen behind in their reading get effective support to enable them to become confident and fluent readers.
• There is variability in how well teachers deliver the curriculum, including selecting learning tasks and checking pupils' understanding. As a result, some pupils do not achieve as well as they should, including some pupils with SEND. Leaders should ensure that teachers receive further support to enable them to deliver the planned curriculum effectively for all pupils, including those with SEND.
• Some staff do not apply the agreed behaviour expectations. Consequently, off- task and inconsistent behaviour occurs in some areas of the school. Leaders should make sure that all staff are supported to apply the behaviour principles and expectations consistently.
• There are inconsistencies in how well the new personal development curriculum is taught and how pupils are supported to access wider personal development opportunities. As a result, some pupils are unclear about aspects of life in modern Britain, and have limited wider personal development experiences. Leaders should ensure that the personal development curriculum is consistently implemented, and all pupils benefit from the uptake of a wider range of opportunities to support this.

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