Haddenham Community Junior School, located in Buckinghamshire, has undergone an ungraded inspection on March 26 and 27, 2024. The overall judgement remains good, but evidence suggests that a graded inspection might yield a lower rating. The school has a strong sense of community, with pupils expressing enjoyment in learning and pride in their school. They appreciate their teachers and feel supported in addressing any concerns. Relationships among pupils and staff are characterized by warmth and respect, contributing to a positive learning environment where most pupils behave sensibly and engage quickly in their work.
Pupils articulate the significance of the school’s values, such as respect, kindness, and friendship, which they believe contribute to their safety and happiness. They understand the importance of perseverance in the face of challenges and are encouraged to embrace mistakes as part of the learning process. The school promotes a culture of resilience, encapsulated in its motto encouraging pupils to dare to fall and learn to fly. Additionally, pupils show enthusiasm for extracurricular activities and special responsibilities, such as serving as school councillors, which fosters their involvement in decision-making processes.
While the school aims for academic excellence and social preparedness for secondary education, there are notable weaknesses in certain areas of the curriculum, particularly in the early reading program. This has resulted in some pupils not achieving their full potential. The school has made efforts to enhance its support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), ensuring that their needs are identified promptly and addressed sensitively. The inclusion room, known as The Nest, provides a supportive environment for pupils needing to refocus or regulate their emotions.
Despite these strengths, there are areas for improvement. Staff do not consistently adapt their teaching to meet the diverse needs of pupils with SEND, particularly those with literacy difficulties. This has led to some pupils not achieving as well as they should. The school’s reading program, while effective in immersing pupils in quality texts, lacks effectiveness in supporting younger pupils at the early stages of reading. Many staff members have not received adequate training in phonics, leading to inconsistencies in teaching methods and hindering the progress of pupils who are not yet fluent readers.
In mathematics, the school demonstrates strengths, with staff effectively explaining and modeling new concepts. Regular review of prior learning helps address misconceptions, and pupils are successfully applying their knowledge in various contexts. However, achievement varies across subjects due to weaknesses in curriculum design and teaching approaches. In some areas, the school has not clearly identified or sequenced the essential knowledge pupils need to learn, resulting in superficial coverage of content and a lack of depth in subjects like history and geography.
The school has successfully improved attendance through effective collaboration with families, and most pupils attend regularly. Behaviour is orderly, and pupils exhibit respect and tolerance. The school offers a wide range of enrichment opportunities that contribute to pupils’ holistic development and enjoyment of learning. Governors maintain oversight of safeguarding, and leaders are mindful of staff well-being, fostering a positive team ethos.
The inspection concluded that while the school has many strengths, it must address the effectiveness of its early reading support, adapt teaching for pupils with SEND, and refine its curriculum to ensure depth and quality across all subjects. The next inspection will be a graded one, which will further assess the school’s progress in these areas.
