Chigwell Junior School

The Good Schools Guide Review of Chigwell Junior School, Chigwell, IG7 6QF

Our View

Set on the main school site, the junior school is integral to the Chigwell community and adds to the all-pervading family feel. Its educational philosophy, academic and pastoral structures are the same as those in the senior school, supporting the school’s aim to ‘provide a consistent approach to education throughout the child’s school career’. Joint activities bring juniors and seniors together, easing the passage through the school, and major facilities are shared, including the dining hall and gym, plus the impressive art, music and drama departments.

The juniors’ own domain has a dedicated playground, classrooms, ICT lab and a recently refurbished library. The Wilson Building opened recently and houses more bright, modern junior form rooms as well as the modern foreign languages department. The junior school also has a spacious learning support department, offering tuition in small groups to children who require additional input in specific or more general areas.

Pupils generally hail from the local area - many are the offspring of Old Chigwellians. 38 join in lower one, aged seven and move through upper one, lower two and upper two. The number doubles by age 11 for the thirds and fourths, who learn Spanish, German and classics.

The reason for the scrabbling for places is encapsulated by the glowing recent ISI report, which described the academic progress of the juniors at Chigwell as ‘exceptional’. It also praised the ‘outstanding’ personal development of pupils and judged spiritual development ‘excellent’ – chapel is as central to school life for the juniors as it is for the seniors.

Enjoying school is of great importance here - colourful and creative displays of work and cheery faces attest to this. Clubs include animation and astronomy and there are chances to take part in activities in partnership with the seniors, creating a happy mix of ages and cultures at this small, warm and nurturing school.

Head

Since September 2010, Mr Simon James BA PGCE, who has a degree in history. He teaches drama and games and says it gives him an opportunity to get to know the pupils. Very welcoming and approachable, his educational philosophy is to 'care for each individual and turn them into well-rounded, well-educated people with a life-long love of learning.'

Entrance

Competition is fierce. At seven, there are three times as many applicants as places and young candidates are put through their paces with an assessment, interview, classroom time and a report from their previous school. At 11, there are nearly 10 times as many applicants for the 40 new places in the thirds, and these are weeded out by an exam and interviews. About 10 academic and music scholarships are offered and bursaries are also available.

Exit

Almost all to Chigwell senior school with a handful choosing secondaries closer to home.

Special Education Needs Survey

SEN Statement

We have very few pupils with Special Educational Needs but we do have a strong Learning Support Department whose aim is to assist any pupils needing support to fulfil their potential. All pupils are assessed on entry to the school as a means of identifying any specific learning difficulties. Any areas of concern are discussed with pupil and family, and the relevant support programme is then put in place.
Nov 09

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Aspergers Syndrome Mild
Aspergers Syndrome Moderate
Aspergers Syndrome Severe
Autism Mild
Autism Moderate
Autism Severe
Semantic Pragmatic Disorder
Other Autistic

Behavioural Difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Attention Deficit Disorder Mild
Attention Deficit Disorder Moderate
Attention Deficit Disorder Severe
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Mild
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Moderate
Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorders Severe
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Mild
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Moderate
Emotional and behavioural difficulties Severe
Conduct Disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
Oppositional Defiant Disorders
Tourettes and other tic disorders

Genetic and related Disorders

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Down's Syndrome Mild
Down's Syndrome Moderate
Down's Syndrome Severe
Fragile X
Other genetic

Learning difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Moderate learning difficulties
Profound and multiple learning difficulties
Severe learning difficulties

Specific learning difficulties

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Dyscalculia Mild
Dyscalculia Moderate
Dyscalculia Severe
Dyslexia Mild
Dyslexia Moderate
Dyslexia Severe
Dyspraxia Mild
Dyspraxia Moderate
Dyspraxia Severe
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Mild
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Moderate
Other Specific Learning Difficulties Severe
English as an additional language

Sensory Impairment

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Hearing Impairment Mild
Hearing Impairment Moderate
Hearing Impairment Severe
Multi-sensory Impairment
Speech and Language Difficulties
Visual Impairment Mild
Visual Impairment Moderate
Visual Impairment Severe

Medical and Related Needs

	Currently no provision for.	Can provide for but no experience of	Experience of	Now provide for in school	Centre of Excellence for.
Cerebral Palsy Mild
Cerebral Palsy Moderate
Cerebral Palsy Severe
"Delicate" children
Epilepsy
Eating disorders
Physical Difficulties (Not indicated elsewhere.)
Other

General Questions

Are all children tested for SEN on entry to the school?		All screened on entry to the school.
Please outline the screening programmes used by the school.		Standardised assessment tests in maths and English.
How many children with statements of need or equivalent do you have in the school?
Do you make special provision for exceptionally gifted children?
Please outline what is on offer for such children		Scholarship programme.
Please indicate if the school has or has available to it any of the following:
Behaviour Support Unit.
Learning Support Unit.
Pupil Referral Unit.
Other withdrawal.
Specialist language centre		EFL department for sixth formers
Schemes or Initiatives such as SHARE or Playing for Success.
Please indicate if the school has any of the following characteristics:
SEN accreditation, for example by CRESTED?
Centre of excellence for SEN that is Not already outlined?
Good wheelchair access		Good access on ground floors.
Provides outreach support?
Receives outreach support?
Do children with SEN participate fully in sport and other extracurricular activities?		IEPs detail how they are integrated.
Please provide information on staffing. Does the school have:
A SENCO or equivalent?		Full time staff member, BDA accredited.
Staff who will administer prescription medicines to a child		Qualified nurse on site.
Qualified teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment(please say how many, in full-time equivalent).		One full-time.
Non-teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment(please say how many, in full-time equivalent).		Two part time classroom assistants.
Please list specialist qualifications held by teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment.		MEd and AMBDA.
Please list specialist qualifications held by non-teaching staff with learning support or SEN commitment.

School Features

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