Riverview Junior School is a place dedicated to learning. Teachers strive to ensure that pupils learn well across the curriculum. They have high expectations of what their pupils can achieve and enthusiastically encourage them to aim high. In turn, pupils believe that they can succeed and they take a real delight in what they learn. They devote their energies to always doing their best. One of the school’s core values is ‘respect’ and this runs through the whole community. Pupils say they feel very safe and nurtured in school. They behave well throughout the school, showing respect to each other and to adults. There are clear rules, which pupils understand and abide by. Pupils are patient and understand how to be responsible. They are emphatic that there is no bullying at the school. If it ever did happen, they have full faith that staff would sort it out. Parents think very highly of the school and what it offers their children. One parent’s comment encapsulates how many feel: ‘My child has blossomed over the years at Riverview Junior at multiple levels, since the school is very inclusive, diverse, authentic, with great ethos for education, discipline, growth mindset and most importantly mental well-being.’ What does the school do well and what does it need to do better? Leaders have conducted a thorough review of the curriculum. They have identified the essential knowledge they want pupils to learn in each subject. They have also considered carefully how this knowledge builds up securely over time in the pupils’ minds. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They receive useful training in how to deliver learning effectively. In the core subjects, teaching is skilful and stimulating. In some of the foundation subjects, while the planning is well thought out, teachers have yet to craft their delivery to the same high quality as they do elsewhere. Teachers use assessment as a fundamental part of their practice. They check on what the pupils are learning and adjust what they teach accordingly. There is strong assessment practice in most subjects. Teachers are in the process of widening this to all areas of the curriculum. Pupils’ work shows that they are successful in their learning. They can talk about what they have learned with considerable confidence. They make useful connections between topics and across subjects. Leaders recognise that fluent readers make capable learners. Consequently, they have invested effort, thought and resource into the reading curriculum. All pupils are regular and committed readers. They talk with genuine enthusiasm about the books they borrow from the three libraries in the school. Weaker readers receive focused and expert help in developing their decoding skills. Inspection report: Riverview Junior School 8 and 9 February 2022 2 Leaders are acutely aware of those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The approach to teaching means that these pupils’ needs are a crucial part of the teachers’ planning and delivery. All staff work with skill within the classroom to ensure every pupil has access to the curriculum. In class, pupils work with concentration and enjoyment. They have exceptionally positive attitudes towards their learning. They are respectful and supportive of each other. Out and about in the school, pupils continue to show high levels of self-control and maturity. Leaders go above and beyond in how they support the personal development of their pupils. The school values of excellence, respect, resilience, responsibility and teamwork resonate throughout daily life at Riverview. This includes pupils holding doors open for others, checking in on their peers at playtime, contributing ideas in the trustwide pupil parliament, taking part in debates and fulfilling a range of leadership roles. The headteacher and his senior leaders have brought about rapid and fundamental improvement at the school over the past few years. They have achieved this without placing extra burdens on staff. Governors also provide appropriate challenge and support. The trust has ensured the school has what it needs to flourish. Leadership at all levels is exceptional in its quality.