Three Trees CofE Junior Academy

Strengths

• Safeguarding standards are met with an open and positive culture.
• Leaders and governors are committed to further improvement and have carefully prioritised areas for development.
• Trustees provide effective support and challenge and understand their duties well.
• Staff hold positive views about the school's development and appreciate leaders' attention to wellbeing and professional learning.
• A well-sequenced personal development programme has a positive impact on pupils.
• Pastoral support is a strength of the school.
• Pupils behave well and benefit from a calm and orderly learning environment.
• Pupils demonstrate confidence, resilience and pride in their leadership responsibilities.
• Staff make careful adaptations to the environment and resources to ensure pupils feel included.
• Curriculum plans have improved with trust support, and important knowledge is well sequenced.
• Leaders have accurately identified barriers to learning and use additional funding effectively in specific areas.
• The school's Christian ethos and community spirit are evident and valued by pupils.
• Systems for identifying pupils' needs and supporting transitions are clearer.
• Pupil profiles are used to set targets and are carefully checked.

Areas for Improvement

• Pupils' basic knowledge in reading, writing and mathematics is not fully secure.
• Outcomes in the Year 4 multiplication check and end of key stage 2 national curriculum tests are below national averages.
• There is variation in the quality of pupils' handwriting, and basic errors are not routinely addressed.
• Approaches to support pupils with SEND need further embedding to ensure secure progress.
• Pupils' attendance rates are lower than those nationally, and persistent absence is a concern.
• Some disadvantaged pupils do not reach the expected standard by the end of Year 6.
• Pupils with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and pupils previously known to social care do not achieve well enough.
• Teachers do not check pupils' understanding as regularly as they should, and misconceptions are not addressed quickly enough.
• Some parents do not feel that communication is effective.
• A number of parents have concerns about the management of behaviour and the effectiveness of SEND support.
• Some pupils leave Year 6 without achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Gaps in basic knowledge and skills are not closing quickly enough, so some pupils are not prepared for their next steps.
• Systems and approaches for inclusion are new and require further embedding and monitoring.
• Enrichment opportunities are being extended but need further development.
• Approaches to improving attendance need to be sustained and go further, especially for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools