Whiston Junior and Infant School

Overview

Pupils are described as happy, attending well, and enjoying their time at the school, where relationships are “respectful and kind.” The report highlights that leaders have developed an “ambitious curriculum” and that children in the early years achieve “exceptionally well.” While most pupils achieve well overall, the inspection identifies specific inconsistencies in checking learning and maintaining behaviour standards that require attention.

Strengths

• The early years provision is rated Outstanding, with a curriculum that effectively supports children’s “curiosity and independence.”
• Staff teach early reading effectively, ensuring pupils read books that “closely match their developing skills” to help those falling behind catch up.
• Pupils have many opportunities to take on wider responsibilities, such as being “reading ambassadors” or “house captains,” which they perform with pride.
• The curriculum is “carefully sequenced,” and teachers generally have strong subject knowledge, helping pupils apply their understanding when writing.
• Recent improvements in SEND management mean most staff have a good understanding of how to identify and meet pupils’ needs.

Areas to improve

• In some subjects, staff do not consistently check what pupils know, meaning mistakes are not routinely identified and some pupils do not achieve as well as they could.
• Behaviour in some lessons does not consistently meet expectations, with some pupils being “disengaged or off task,” requiring staff to implement high expectations more consistently.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”