St Nicholas CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Key findings

This is a good school which parents and carers feel helps their children blossom into well-rounded individuals whose needs are met educationally and emotionally. It is not outstanding because teaching does not yet consistently promote rapid progress in all year groups.

Children enter the Reception year with skills lower than expected for four-year-olds in reading, writing and calculation. By the time they leave Year 6, pupils' attainment in English and mathematics is above the national average because : the pupils have made good progress year on year, particularly in Key Stage 1. Where progress has been a little less consistently good in Key Stage 2, this is being addressed and is therefore an improvin...g picture.

However, there remains a small minority of lessons where tasks are not precisely matched to pupils' needs to ensure all pupils make the rapid progress of which they are capable. Overall, teaching is good, with examples of outstanding practice. Teachers have high expectations and strong subject knowledge.

Marking is a strength in Key Stage 1. However, in some Key Stage 2 classes, it is not sufficiently detailed to help pupils understand how their performance at tasks contributes to their overall targets and also it provides limited opportunities for dialogue. Pupils have opportunities to write across the curriculum; however, writing in lessons other than English is not taught with sufficient rigour to contribute to more rapid progress.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They feel safe, display positive attitudes to learning, are courteous and thoughtful, and enjoy coming to school. Attendance is consistently high.

Leaders and managers, including the governing body, have a clear vision. Teaching is well led and performance managed to ensure the drive for improvement is successful. Improvements have been secured since the last inspection, for example, pupils are confident and independent learners from a very early age.

Information about the school

This is a larger-than-average primary school. Most pupils are from White British backgrounds, with the remainder coming from a range of ethnic groups. Only a few pupils speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is below the national average, as is the proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs. The school has two classes of intake in Reception. This increases to three classes from Year 3 when pupils from a range of other schools join the school.

The school meets the government's current floor standard, which sets the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. There has been a significant change of leadership since the previous inspection, a new assistant headteacher was appointed in November 2009 and the headteacher left at Easter 2012. At the time of this inspection, the school was being led by an interim headteacher.