Diss Church of England Junior Academy

Overview

Pupils are described as “flourishing” in a “calm and caring environment” where they are “happy and settled.” The report highlights “positive, productive relationships” between staff and pupils, which fosters confidence in learning and ensures pupils feel safe. Leaders have implemented an ambitious curriculum rooted in research, resulting in pupils “learning more and remembering more” across subjects such as geography and art.

Strengths

• Staff create a supportive atmosphere where pupils “behave well in lessons and support each other.”
• The curriculum is well-designed, with teachers choosing activities that help pupils “understand and remember knowledge.”
• Provision for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is “central to leaders’ vision for inclusive education,” with barriers carefully considered.
• Leaders have built strong community relationships, and the school is “held in high regard by parents.”
• Older pupils take on responsibilities such as becoming a “peer mediator” or play leader, fostering independence.

Areas to improve

• Support for pupils at an earlier stage of reading is “not as effective as it could be,” meaning some are not catching up quickly enough.
• Assessment in some subjects is “relatively new” and does not yet provide leaders with consistent information on long-term pupil retention.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are “effective,” with leaders being “tenacious when working with external agencies” to secure support for pupils at risk.