Joydens Wood Junior School in Wilmington has been praised for its strong leadership, positive pupil behaviour and efforts to improve learning.
However, Ofsted has said that the quality of education still “requires improvement.”
Inspectors visited the school on January 28 and 29, 2025, to assess progress since the last inspection.
While the report recognised the hard work of leaders and staff, it also pointed out that not all changes have had enough time to fully benefit pupils.
The report said: “Leaders have worked hard to make changes, but these improvements have not yet had time to fully embed. Some pupils have gaps in their learning, and this is affecting their achievement.”
Despite these challenges, inspectors found that pupils enjoy attending school and feel well-supported.
The report said: “I feel safe here, and I know my teachers will always help me. This is a place where we all look after each other.”
Staff have worked to create a warm and welcoming environment where pupils feel encouraged to learn and share their ideas.
Inspectors saw evidence of this in classrooms, including a Year 4 computing lesson where pupils engaged in a lively debate about artificial intelligence.
Lessons are designed to encourage discussion, creativity and independent thinking, which inspectors noted as a positive feature of the school’s approach to learning.
Behaviour at the school was described as good, with pupils focusing well in lessons and showing respect towards staff and each other.
If they had any concerns, children said they felt comfortable approaching teachers and knew they would be listened to.
The school also encourages pupils to take on leadership roles, which gives them a sense of responsibility and pride in their school community.
Pupil parliamentarians have played an active role in making changes, including helping to expand the school library to provide more books for their peers.
The report said: “We wanted a bigger library so more of us could read together, and now we have it.”
Eco leaders have also been promoting sustainability, encouraging students to think about how they travel to school and how they can reduce waste.
While there is clear evidence of a strong school culture, Ofsted identified areas where further improvements are needed.
Inspectors found that although the curriculum has been developed and improved, not all pupils are able to recall prior learning effectively.
The report stated: “Pupils are not always able to recall previous learning, and gaps in knowledge remain. Some pupils are not forming letters correctly, and this is holding them back in expressing their ideas clearly.”
Writing was highlighted as a particular area for concern, with inconsistencies in how it is taught across year groups.
Pupils are not consistently developing a fluent handwriting style, and this is limiting their ability to write confidently in different subjects.
Reading has been made a priority at the school, with daily phonics lessons and books that match pupils’ reading levels.
These efforts have helped to improve reading skills, but inspectors noted that similar strategies are not yet being applied in other subjects.
The report emphasised that more work is needed to ensure consistency in how pupils are supported to retain and recall knowledge across the curriculum.
Leadership at the school was rated as good, with inspectors praising the commitment of headteacher Paul Redford, executive headteacher Allison Morris, and the wider Nexus Education Schools Trust.
Staff training has been a key focus, and teachers now have stronger subject knowledge, allowing them to adapt lessons to support children with special educational needs.
Inspectors noted that in subjects like maths and reading, teachers regularly encourage pupils to revisit previous learning, but this approach is not yet applied consistently across all areas.
Joydens Wood Junior School has made notable progress since its last inspection, and Ofsted recognised the dedication of staff in making these improvements.
However, the report made it clear that more work is needed to close learning gaps and ensure consistency in teaching across all subjects.
Inspectors said: “The school is moving in the right direction. With continued focus and consistency, these improvements have the potential to make a real difference.”
Parents and the wider school community will be watching closely to see how these changes develop in the months ahead.
With a strong leadership team and a commitment to improvement, Joydens Wood Junior School has the potential to achieve a higher rating in future inspections.
