Ofsted says Diss Junior School needs improving

A primary school in Diss is in need of improvement in a number of key areas, according to the results of its most recent Ofsted inspection.

Diss Church of England Junior School, located in The Entry, received an overall grade of ‘Requires Improvement’ in a report published on Tuesday - the same rating it obtained from the previous inspection in March 2013.

The report gave praise to the “effective” leadership and management of the school, stating there had been steady improvement since the appointment of executive headteacher Karen Sewell, who took charge of the Diss Primary School Federation last September following the retirement of Susan Youngs.

However, the assessment called for improvements to be made on pupil achievement, behaviour and safety, as well as the overall quality of the teaching.

The inspection judgement read: “School leaders are bringing about rapid improvements in teaching.

“Regular discussions give staff a much clearer understanding of what is required, and why.

“As a result, teachers expectations are higher and important aspects of teaching, such as lesson planning, are effective. Arrangements to check and evaluate the quality of teaching are thorough, although some weaknesses in teaching remain.

“The headteacher and acting deputy headteacher are tackling poor behaviour and taking decisive action.

“As a result, classrooms are a hive of activity in which teaching and good behaviour thrive. Even so, a few staff do not implement behavioural policies and procedures consistently so, while much diminished, poor behaviour is not fully eradicated.”

The school will be inspected again within two years.