John Keble CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is welcomed and included at John Keble, no matter when they join the school. Pupils are happy at this nurturing and inclusive school.

Parents and carers are very positive about how leaders and staff care for their children. One parent summed this up by describing how leaders have created an environment where each pupil can grow in their uniqueness but also contribute to the whole.Leaders have high expectations of the way pupils behave and learn.

Pupils' behaviour in class and around the school reflects this. They do their best to act in a calm and considerate manner. Bullying is not tolerated at this school.

Leaders also work collaboratively with par...ents to support learning at home.Leaders continually think about how best to ensure that pupils learn and achieve well. The curriculum that pupils follow is designed with ambition, underpinned by clear expectations.

In a few subjects, expectations for the curriculum have been established more recently. This means that the way in which the curriculum is taught does not support the development of pupils' knowledge as well as it could.Pupils enjoy opportunities to take a lead in their school.

For example, the literacy leaders are proud of their work to reorganise the 'Book Nook' by the playground. Pupils said that this is a calm and quiet area where they can enjoy reading.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have put in place a well-planned and sequenced curriculum which covers a broad range of subjects.

The curriculum matches the ambition of the national curriculum. Leaders have high expectations of pupils' attitudes towards learning.

In most curriculum subjects, teachers check pupils' learning purposefully.

They find out what pupils know before moving on to new learning. Teachers identify gaps in pupils' knowledge and address them appropriately. Some areas of the curriculum are newly introduced, and teachers' checks on what pupils know and remember are not as fully established in these subject areas.

As a result, gaps in pupils' understanding have not been consistently addressed over time. This is, in part, reflected in pupils' outcomes in the 2022 national assessments in some areas.

In subjects where the curriculum is embedded, the design and delivery of the curriculum provide for a coherent progression of skills and knowledge.

Music is an example of this. For instance, children in Reception begin to explore and experiment with music, listening out for and clapping rhythms. By Year 4, they are writing their own music, using musical notation correctly to record their compositions.

Across the school, staff are well supported in their professional development, and, as a result, they have the subject knowledge to implement the curriculum effectively overall.

Reading is prioritised. Staff ensure that reading books are appropriately matched to the sounds that pupils know.

Those who are at risk of falling behind are identified and supported quickly. Effective implementation of the phonics programme helps these pupils to keep up and become more confident readers. A strong culture of reading is clear across the school.

For example, storytelling sessions and the careful choice of books help to encourage a love of reading.New leadership has made several significant improvements to the early years curriculum. There is a strong focus on communication and language, including increasing children's exposure to stories and rhymes.

The organisation and delivery of the curriculum support children's development well, both indoors and out. Parents are also able to contribute to leaders' work to ensure that children get a strong start to their education. This partnership begins as soon as children join the school, for example through the 'Am I Ready' for school booklet.

Leaders have high expectations of what pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can achieve. An increasing number of pupils join the school with complex additional needs. Additionally, a number of pupils join the school mid-way through the academic year, often arriving from overseas.

Leaders and teachers make a range of adaptations to ensure that pupils' needs are met and that they are supported to access the curriculum. For example, pupils receive extra help from additional adults in class. Some of this support is, at times, not sufficiently well focused on helping pupils to overcome barriers to learning and understanding the subject content being taught.

This includes additional support provided in the early years.Leaders have thought very carefully about how to support the development of pupils' character and the ethos of the school underpins this. Pupils spoke about the importance of 'everyone has worth' and that they are all unique and special.

Pupils are encouraged to develop their leadership skills. They undergo a rigorous selection process to become a member of the 'junior leadership team'. Pupils take their responsibilities seriously.

Leaders create opportunities for them to develop their leadership skills. For example, leaders arrange for pupils to plan and lead whole-school assemblies. Leaders help pupils to think ambitiously about their future careers.

Older pupils are encouraged to think about future steps in education and going to university, for example.

Staff enjoy working at the school and said that leaders are considerate of their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding across the school. All staff have the required knowledge and understanding to identify pupils who may be at risk of harm. Staff raise any concern swiftly, however small, with leaders.

Leaders work closely with the local authority and other agencies to make sure that pupils and families receive the support that they need.Pupils learn how to keep safe online and about what they would do in different circumstances that might place them at risk.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders' work to raise expectations for what pupils should learn and remember, while proving to be effective, is not fully embedded in a few curriculum subjects.

This means that, over time, gaps in pupils' knowledge have developed, and, at times, these are not being addressed with precision and rigour. Leaders need to continue their work to establish the curriculum in these subjects, ensuring that any gaps in pupils' understanding are picked up and filled through the delivery of the curriculum. ? Sometimes, the adaptations and support provided by additional adults are not focused precisely on what pupils are expected to learn and remember.

This includes pupils with SEND and children in the early years. As a result, there are times where pupils are not understanding and deepening their knowledge as well as leaders intend. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the necessary expertise to provide support that enables pupils to understand and remember the subject content that they are learning.

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