Warren Mead Junior School

Overview

Warren Mead Junior School is described as a “happy place” where pupils behave very well and are “passionate about their school and learning.” New leadership has successfully halted previous declines, introducing a “clear and logically ordered curriculum” that staff are committed to improving. The report confirms the school remains good, noting that leaders are “highly ambitious for every pupil” and have built strong trust with the community.

Strengths

• Pupils exhibit excellent behaviour, with “low-level disruption” being “very rare” and a “calm and orderly atmosphere” maintained.
• The curriculum is well-sequenced, particularly in mathematics, where staff teach knowledge in “small steps” and assessments tie closely to teaching.
• Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has been “transformed,” with clear procedures and “highly effective support” in English and mathematics.
• Reading lessons encourage pupils to make “adventurous choices” for their own reading, while non-fluent readers receive “accurate phonics teaching.”
• Leaders have designed a strong personal, social and health education curriculum, ensuring pupils understand healthy relationships and wellbeing.

Areas to improve

• Curriculum implementation in some foundation subjects is inconsistent, with teachers sometimes deviating from leaders’ plans, meaning tasks do not always “build closely enough on what pupils already know.”
• Teachers’ subject knowledge varies, and leaders must ensure all staff have the expertise to deliver the whole curriculum effectively, including for pupils with SEND.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with a “strong safeguarding culture” where staff are rigorous in checks and report concerns immediately.