John King Infant Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Short inspection of John King Infant School

Following my visit to the school on 30 November 2017, I write on behalf of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Education, Children's Services and Skills to report the inspection findings. The visit was the first short inspection carried out since the school was judged to be good in May 2013. This school continues to be good.

The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. The school's caring ethos and high expectations ensure that children enjoy coming to school and develop positive attitudes to learning. Parents are overwhelmingly supportive of the school.

All parents who responded to the online questionnair...e, or spoke to me during the inspection, said that their children are happy, feel safe and are well looked after. The school has a calm atmosphere and learning is purposeful. You and your team are committed to doing the best you can for the pupils in your care.

Staff make the best of the school environment and other local facilities so that pupils can experience a range of learning opportunities. You make good use of research information to refine teaching strategies to support pupils of all abilities. You provide training and professional development opportunities for staff to ensure consistency throughout the school.

Leaders check the quality of teaching regularly to ensure that pupils are making good progress. The previous inspection recommended that the most able pupils should be challenged to achieve more. Recent assessments show that the proportion of pupils working beyond the standards expected for their age in reading, writing and mathematics is now above average.

You have identified the need to review the way you teach the wider curriculum to ensure that pupils develop their skills, knowledge and understanding in a range of subjects. You are now using teachers who have specialist subject knowledge to teach all classes in the school. Pupils are enjoying learning about other subjects in depth and improving their knowledge.

For example, pupils told me how they have been finding out about Guy Fawkes and why he wanted to blow up the Houses of Parliament. 'And that's why we have Bonfire Night!' added one pupil. However, the quality of work produced by pupils in other subjects is not yet at the same standard as in reading, writing and mathematics.

Safeguarding is effective. You have ensured that all safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and that records are detailed and of good quality. Leaders and governors make regular checks to ensure that documentation is up to date and meets all requirements.

You and your staff know the pupils and their families well and are vigilant in ensuring their well-being. You all respond quickly to any minor concerns so that they do not escalate. You have employed a family resource worker who is a constant point of contact and support to families when needed.

As a result, early help is provided and there are fewer referrals to external agencies. Attendance is below the national average and the proportion of persistent absentees is currently above average. However, the school follows up absences rigorously, involving the family resource worker where necessary.

Governors do not authorise holidays in term time and issue fines accordingly. Inspection findings ? The quality of teaching is consistently strong throughout the school as a result of clear direction from leaders. The teaching of mathematics, literacy and phonics is organised in ability groupings, and teachers often contribute to the learning of pupils beyond their own class.

As a result, teachers plan learning that is tightly focused, and this enables pupils of all abilities to make good progress. Teachers also make sure that the most able pupils are supported to work at greater depth by giving them extra challenges. ? You ensure that you use the skills of all staff to support pupils' learning.

This allows you to be flexible in how you provide learning opportunities. Pupils are keen to be actively involved in their lessons and respond enthusiastically when asked to contribute or explain their work, as was seen in a phonics session for Year 1 pupils who were learning about plurals. ? You and school leaders review assessment information at regular intervals.

You check that all groups of pupils continue to make good progress. Pupils who are at risk of falling behind or who need extra help are identified quickly and support is provided. Disadvantaged pupils generally achieve as well as other pupils.

Most reach the standards expected of them by the end of key stage 1, but few achieve at greater depth. ? Pupils enjoy reading and told me about the books they like best. They like choosing their own books.

One pupil was keen to tell me, 'I'm on free readers now!' Pupils can use their knowledge of letters and the sounds they make to tackle difficult or unfamiliar words. They are able to explain aspects of the stories and answer questions about the text. ? Pupils starting school in the Reception class have a variety of pre-school experiences and often have skills and knowledge below what is expected for their age.

They are well supported by adults and soon settle into the routines of school. Activities are carefully planned to make sure that all children make good progress from their individual starting points. Most-able pupils are given opportunities to extend their learning further and they quickly develop their basic skills in phonics and counting.

• Pupils' work shows that they are making good progress, and most work is of a standard appropriate to pupils' ages. Books and folders contain different types of activities, and some show that pupils have worked hard over a number of lessons to produce a longer piece of work. The quantity of work varies depending on the number of practical activities they do.

These activities are often recorded in photographs. ? In writing and mathematics, pupils achieve well and some are able to produce work of a high standard. You have recognised that this is not always the case in other subjects.

You have made changes to the way the wider curriculum is taught, using the specialist skills of your staff, but this approach is not fully embedded. Therefore, the work that pupils produce in other subjects is not of the same quality as seen in literacy and mathematics. ? Detailed, up-to-date information about the curriculum is not available on the school website.

My review of the website prior to the inspection also noted that other required information is not up to date, specifically the school's complaints procedure. Next steps for the school Leaders and those responsible for governance should ensure that: ? work continues to reduce persistent absence so that attendance is at least in line with national averages ? the high standards in reading, writing and mathematics are also achieved in other subjects in the wider curriculum ? the school's website is fully up to date and meets the requirements set out for the publication of information. I am copying this letter to the chair of the governing body, the regional schools commissioner and the director of children's services for Derbyshire.

This letter will be published on the Ofsted website. Yours sincerely Jane Salt Ofsted Inspector Information about the inspection During the inspection I visited all classes with you and the head of school to observe learning. I reviewed a range of the school's documentation, including the school's self-evaluation document and school improvement plan, assessment information and some policies.

I held meetings with you and other members of staff. I met with governors and had a telephone conversation with a representative of the local authority. I spoke informally to a number of parents at the start of the day and took into account 16 responses to Parent View, Ofsted's online questionnaire.

I reviewed a selection of pupils' work to consider the standard of work and progress being made. I talked with a group of pupils and listened to some pupils read. There were no responses to the pupil or staff Ofsted questionnaires.