Bradford Grammar Junior School (Clock House) A GSG School

Other features

All-through school (for example 3-18 years). - An all-through school covers junior and senior education. It may start at 3 or 4, or later, and continue through to 16 or 18. Some all-through schools set exams at 11 or 13 that pupils must pass to move on.

What The Good Schools Guide says

Head of Junior School

Since 2020, Richard Ribeiro. Originally from Essex, educated at Felsted School and a degree in geography from Loughborough University. He initially pursued a career in IT management but says that he always had teaching in mind. Following work experience at his old school he completed the graduate teacher training programme at Outwood Primary Academy, Wakefield. First teaching post at Richmond House and then QEGs boys junior school in Wakefield. Then deputy head at Wakefield girls high where he also taught maths. His philosophy is straightforward and compelling, ‘Children need to be happy and settled as a priority, we do that very well. After that we are completely at ease with excellence and children being the best they can be.’ He says they work hard to build strong foundations in numeracy and literacy creating a secure base to develop pupils’ potential in other subjects. ‘We want to instil a freedom to innovate culture amongst pupils and staff and encourage everyone to step outside their comfort zones.’ He tells us that this is modelled throughout school giving an example from a recent assembly where he attempted the world record balancing golf balls on top of each other. The record is nine and the head managed three. We liked his boldness and the humility to use effort and failure as a learning tool. Although the school is selective he is extremely confident about their capacity to support pupils with a wide range of abilities to develop their potential and then make the grade for entry to Bradford Grammar senior school.

Clock House is popular and increasingly so in the older years. One form entry in years 2 and 3 becomes two in years 4 and 5 and then three in year 6. As we visited the school had laid the foundations for a new building to allow them to take reception and year 1 pupils from 2024. This will include an outdoor performance space, outdoor education facilities and a woodland exploration zone.

Mr Ribeiro is a rugby and cricket enthusiast with coaching qualifications in rugby. He teaches computing and humanities and in his spare time loves walking in the Yorkshire Dales.

Entrance

Years 2, 3 and 4 spend part of a day in school when they sit age appropriate assessments in English and maths. Whilst in school, members of staff work with the children to assess their ability to listen, speak fluently in conversation, follow instructions, and make positive social interactions with other children and adults. Years 5 and 6 are assessed in English and maths to test their suitability for later entrance to the senior school. The attainment profile of pupils is above national average. As it grows the school will use age appropriate teacher assessment for entry to reception and year 1 evaluating aptitude for learning, potential for academic growth as well as personal and social development.
 

Exit

Vast majority of pupils progress to the senior school. There is no entrance examination for this, however where it is thought that a junior pupil may not thrive in the academic setting of the senior school, supportive conversations will take place to help find suitable alternatives. Head says, ‘It’s rare we have to have the conversation because we get it right when we admit children and the way we teach enables the vast majority to reach the required standard’.

Our view

Clock House has a full and interesting curriculum. One pupil told us, ’My old school was just boring, here I’m sad when it gets to lunch because I’m loving things so much.' The school has achieved the primary science quality mark and science lessons for years 5 and 6 take place in the fantastic senior school laboratories. Pupils raved about maths, ‘I love the maths here, at my old school I couldn’t do it, here I feel welcomed to the world of maths, it’s fun and the teacher always goes through it if I don’t understand.' They even praised the maths homework, seemingly very engaged with ‘timetable rock stars’. Computing is taught by the head who is an IT specialist. We saw an engaged group of year 6 pupils in an online safety lesson where they were considering the impact and consequences of sharing personal information online. Design technology is taught in a specialist room to years 2 to 5; year 6 are taught in the main school by DT specialists with projects ranging from making mechanical toys to electric guitars.

Pupils study French in the autumn and summer terms and German in the spring term from year 2 onwards. Weekly 40-minute lessons are delivered by a secondary trained language teacher. Provision is good but we did wonder if the children would get confused and forget with such long gaps in between. Pupils assured us that ‘languages are great and we don’t get confused, we can even do Spanish club as well'.

We saw some excellent written work and were very impressed by the approach to reading, clearly a high priority. The junior school library sits in its own cosy and inviting space at the heart of the superb two storey senior school library. It’s an inviting circular cocoon where pupils are supported to select the right books by the four librarians as part of the school’s bespoke reading scheme. Certainly one of the best facilities for a junior school that we have seen.

Independent and investigative learning seems to be at the heart of the curriculum. We saw some very creative work in geography around planning a polar expedition which was bringing in literacy, numeracy, budgeting skills and a host more. A parent told us, ‘It doesn’t hot house, they are careful to help the children excel without too much pressure, my children have never felt overwhelmed, it's about them achieving what they need rather than for the school’s results.’

Music is taught in the school hall by a specialist teacher and three quarters of the pupils learn instruments ranging from saxophone to double bass. Junior school pupils have the opportunity to be part of choir and orchestra, rock, string and guitar groups and a samba band, regularly performing in the senior school’s super music auditorium and Hockney Theatre. David Hockney is an old boy of the senior school so it is no surprise that the walls are full of some very accomplished work including a super collage which all pupils contributed to, inspired by Hockney’s own style. Pupils are clearly enthused, they proudly showed us the gallery of art work that they have produced at home and then brought in to be selected for display.

There are all the sports and music clubs you would expect and plenty more ranging from drama, arts and crafts and junior journalists to quiz and languages clubs. Older pupils have lots of opportunities to develop their leadership skills as reading and playtime buddies for those in lower years. Junior Dukes, a junior version of the Duke of Edinburgh award is open to those in year 6. There are visits and residentials including the year 2 trip to Borrowdale where teddies are invited to accompany their owners.

PE is taught by specialists and pupils have access to all the senior school facilities including the 25-metre swimming pool, all-weather pitches, sports halls and sports barn. Pupils love the sport here, praising access to specialist coaches and the high level at which they are able to play rugby, hockey and tennis. One told us, ‘It’s the main reason we chose BGS, I get to do sports I never could at my other school.’ ‘I love the gymnastics’, said another. There are fixtures against other schools and the philosophy is that if you turn up for practices you will more than likely be chosen for a team.

Children eat in the senior school dining room and rave about the quality of food and the ‘grown up choices we get’. Good provision for different dietary requirements including recent introduction of halal meat. The new reception and year 1 facility will have its own eating space.

The school says, ‘Happiness is the key to academic excellence.’ We could see this as we walked round, it was obvious that the pupils have a very warm relationship with teachers and each other. Pastoral care is based on the form teacher who will also teach pupils for English, history, geography RS and PSHCE. Staff know pupils and their parents well. Respect for others is integral to all aspects of school life. A parent said, ‘They are trusted but always allowed to be children. Our children fitted in straight away as if they’d always been there.’ We saw excellent behaviour throughout the school, pupils say there can be a bit of silliness at times but teachers deal with this through warnings and it 'never stops them learning’. At the heart of the school is the ‘nurture nest’ with inviting squishy sofas, a teepee, books and jigsaws and snuggle blankets, somewhere for pupils to be quiet during busy break and lunchtimes. We were very tempted to curl up with a jigsaw. Well-qualified SENCO leads support for pupils with dyslexia, dyspraxia, processing difficulties and mild autism. All support takes place in class. Teachers have additional time allocated for intervention work with their year group and teaching assistants also offer additional reading support. More able pupils are well catered for with opportunities such as maths mastery and junior journalism.

Student council appears to have a genuine voice having recently campaigned successfully for girls to be allowed to wear shorts as well as boys. They also raise money for charity; on the day we visited pupils raised £1000 from their harvest appeal bake sale for Action Aid and the sponsorship of four pupils overseas. Uniform is formal and very smart with navy and burgundy blazer and tie. Pupils like it and wear it with pride although some said it was sometimes rather hot and uncomfortable.

The school is housed in a grand nineteenth-century Bradford industrialist’s house but inside is thoroughly modernised and provides lovely light, airy general teaching spaces. Most specialist facilities are a short step away in the senior school. Some pupils travel a distance to school. From year 2 onwards buses are available, used by about 15 per cent of pupils and from year 4 some also travel by train to nearby Frizinghall station. Wrap around care is provided from 7.45am-6pm (chargeable after 4pm) when a drink and snack are provided.

Parents are extremely positive about the school. ‘There’s no snobbery here’, they told us, commending the schools inclusive approach in what is a racially diverse community. They also like the balance between academic rigour, strong sporting opportunities and a good offer for those who aren’t sporty. ‘It’s a very good fit for all three of my children even though they are all so different.’ 

Money matters

No financial support with fees in the junior school but three academic scholarships available each year for year 6 pupils who excel academically and who are transferring to the senior school. These are worth up to 20 per cent reduction in fees for the duration of the pupil’s time at BGS, contingent on them maintaining high grades.

The last word

Clock House offers excellent preparation for entry to Bradford Grammar School. A well thought out academic curriculum is enhanced by plenty of sporting and extracurricular activities. Pupils are articulate, engaged and, rightly, extremely proud of their welcoming and very well equipped school.

Special Education Needs