Essex primary school where pupil’s ‘aren’t achieving as well as they should’
Inspectors say poor attendance at Janet Duke Primary School is affecting results in reading, writing and maths.
Pupils at an Essex primary school ‘aren’t achieving as well as they should’ because of poor attendance, the education watchdog has suggested.
Ofsted inspectors have said low attendance rates have remained high over time at Janet Duke Primary School in Laindon and this has led to poor achievement performances in reading, writing and arithmetic.
The school recorded an absence rate in 2024/25 of 9.1 per cent compared to 5.2 per cent nationally. In 2023/24 it was at 9.3 per cent compared to 5.5 per cent nationally.
The percentage of pupils meeting the expected standards in a combined reading, writing and mathematics was 38 per cent in 2024/25 compared to a national average of 62 per cent. In 2023/24 it was at 39 per cent compared to 61 per cent nationally.
A statement from the report said: “Pupils have not achieved as well as they should in national tests and assessments. The biggest barrier to some pupils’ achievement is poor attendance.
“As a result, pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and some pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, do not achieve as well as they should because they miss out on too much learning. Some pupils do not develop fluent and legible handwriting as they move through the school. This limits how well they record their learning.
“Some pupils do not develop the knowledge they need to solve mathematical problems. Consequently, pupils are not as well prepared for the next stage of their education as they could be.
“In lessons, pupils generally demonstrate appropriate knowledge in all subjects. Pupils make links between subjects, for example between what they have learned about percussion instruments in music to their learning about sound in science. Pupils’ books show that achievement is improving.”
A letter that has gone out to parents along with the report said: “We are pleased that the inspectors recognised the hard work and dedication that the school puts into ‘ensuring the curriculum and teaching provides a broad and ambitious curriculum’.
“We are delighted that our Early Years was recognised for ‘giving children the best possible start to their education’. We know we have ‘an inclusive culture across the school’ and the inspectors agreed with this.
“The inspectors also identified that ‘leaders keep pupils’ best interests at the heart of everything they do’ and we will continue to do this to ensure your child achieves the best they can. The inspectors identified that the school gives pupils access to enriching experiences and works to raise the aspirations of pupils and the culture of the school is positive.
“The inspection team highlighted that some pupils ‘do not achieve as well as they should because they miss out on too much learning’. As a result, attendance and attainment need attention so we will continue to work with families to ensure attendance is at the highest possible level so that all children are able to progress academically.”