James Dixon Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Leaders and managers have been diligent in ensuring that standards have improved since the last inspection.

Progress is good. The proportion of pupils making above average progress in English and mathematics is rising. Attainment is in line with the national average and improving.

Effective professional development and good management of staff performance have resulted in improvements in the quality of teaching and the work of additional adults. Teaching is typically good with some that is outstanding. Consequently, pupils supported through the pupil premium, those learning English as an additional language, and pupils supported through ...school action, school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs make good progress.

The provision for and teaching of reading is strong across the school. This enables the least able pupils to catch up quickly and make good and sometimes outstanding progress. Pupils enjoy coming to school and feel safe.

Pupils say 'I love it here.' They are polite and courteous and get on very well with each other. They apply themselves well to their learning.

Attendance has improved and is above average. The headteacher and governors are conscientious in their drive to ensure all pupils achieve at the highest level. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Tracking of pupils' progress is not sufficiently refined to show the full extent of progress that all pupils make.

Progress in writing and mathematics at Key Stage 1 and at the higher levels in Key Stage 2 is not always fast enough. Not enough teaching is outstanding. Pupils are not consistently provided with a range of interesting activities that fully extend their abilities and independence.

Sometimes, most able pupils are not fully challenged throughout the lesson.

Information about this school

This is a larger-than-average primary school. Although some children start school in the Nursery, most pupils join the school in the Reception classes.

A majority of pupils are from a range of minority ethnic backgrounds. The largest groups are of White British, African, Caribbean and Any Other White heritage. An above-average proportion of pupils are learning English as an additional language.

Many of these are at the early stage of learning English when they join the school. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs supported through school action is below that in most schools. The proportion of pupils supported through school action plus or have a statement of special educational needs is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium funding is above the average for most schools. A deputy headteacher has been appointed since the time of the last inspection. The school has a special provision that provides tailored support for 15 pupils with speech and language needs, autism or behavioural, social and emotional difficulties.

There is breakfast and after-school provision not led or managed by the governing body. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. The school makes no alternative provision for its pupils.