St Clement’s and St John’s Church of England Infant School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Clement's and St John's thrive at this friendly and inclusive school. Staff know each pupil well. Relationships between adults and pupils are strong.

Pupils treat each other with care and respect. They say that everyone feels safe and that staff care for them.

Leaders have placed the school's distinctive ethos at the centre of learning.

Pupils demonstrate the 'golden anchor' values of confidence, compassion, creativity and curiosity. Staff have high expectations. Pupils behave well and the environment is calm and purposeful....

Pupils listen carefully to instructions and are keen to learn. They enjoy earning certificates and stickers for making good choices about their work or behaviour.

Pupils socialise happily with one another.

They engage in games that develop their teamwork skills. They say that, if bullying happens, staff sort it out quickly. Pupils enjoy taking on responsibilities, such as being school councillors and spirituality leaders.

They are confident to speak to others and express their own independent views.

Pupils take part in a variety of enrichment activities. These are carefully planned to support and build on areas of the curriculum.

For example, pupils enjoyed a visit to the local beach to learn more about science and geography.

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

Pupils benefit from a broad and well-planned curriculum. In most subjects, leaders have thought carefully about the important knowledge they want pupils to learn.

Pupils revisit learning regularly and apply what they know. Teachers check pupils' understanding using careful questioning. When pupils require additional support to recall knowledge, this is provided promptly.

Therefore, pupils talk confidently about their work and use previous knowledge to help them. For example, pupils explain how learning to read helps them to spell tricky words. However, in some subjects, leaders have not clearly identified what is important for pupils to know.

They do not have a strong enough overview to ensure that pupils receive the subject-specific support that they need.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities are well supported. Staff know their precise needs.

The special educational needs coordinator works with a range of external agencies to provide well-planned support for pupils. Therefore, pupils follow the curriculum successfully.

Pupils have positive attitudes to reading and talk with enthusiasm about visiting the local library.

They learn to read as soon as they start school. Children in Reception Year learn letters and their corresponding sounds successfully. Teachers make sure that children know how to pronounce each sound accurately.

If pupils need support with their speech, this is quickly identified. Pupils read books that match precisely to the sounds they know. As a result, they build a rich vocabulary and gain the knowledge and skills they need to become confident readers.

Pupils learn from high-quality texts from a wide range of authors. They enjoy fiction, non-fiction and poetry books. They receive 'rainbow rewards' for reading at home.

Leaders have carefully planned and resourced the curriculum to support pupils' wider personal development. This underpins the school's work. Pupils know what is right and wrong.

They say that teachers help them to understand the feelings of others. They learn about relationships and how to keep themselves safe, both online and offline. Pupils enjoy finding out about religions other than their own and can reflect on what they have learned.

They appreciate quiet times of contemplation.

Leaders are considerate of staff well-being. Staff appreciate the support that leaders provide to help them manage their workload.

They say that the school has a 'family feel'. The board of trustees and the governors know the school, its curriculum, staff and pupils well. They are highly committed to all.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have a clear understanding of local risks to pupils. They work closely with safeguarding partners, such as the local authority and the police.

Leaders are confident to advocate for pupils and their families. All staff know what to do if they have concerns about a child. The school's policies and procedures are comprehensive and up to date.

Staff and governors receive regular training. They make regular and thorough checks on safeguarding procedures.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders do not have a sufficient overview.

They have not precisely identified the knowledge they want pupils to learn or where pupils need further subject-specific support. Leaders need to ensure that pupils develop a detailed understanding of all subjects in the curriculum.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in November 2017.