St Clement Danes CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Pupils are proud of their school.

Their behaviour is exemplary inside and outside classrooms. They feel very safe and have very positive attitudes toward learning. Children get off to a very good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage where they experience outstanding teaching in a stimulating and well planned environment.

All groups of pupils, including those who are disabled or who have special educational needs and those who are eligible for the pupil premium, make rapid and sustained progress through the school. School leaders make every effort to ensure that no pupil falls behind. Standards have risen over the past few ye...ars, especially in writing, and are above average.

More pupils are now attaining the highest standards in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. They are well prepared for secondary school. Teaching is consistently good and often outstanding.

Relationships with pupils are a real strength. Pupils benefit from teachers' secure subject knowledge, excellent behaviour management and regular feedback. They take heed of teachers' detailed written comments and act on them in order to improve.

Other adults make an effective contribution to pupils' learning through support in the classroom and with small groups. The school provides extremely well for pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. Pupils experience a wide range of vibrant learning opportunities inside and outside school.

There is a strong focus on creative subjects, as well as on literacy, numeracy and computing. Parents are very supportive of the school. They are kept well informed about school events and how well their children are learning.

School leaders and governors have maintained a firm focus on raising standards through improving teaching and catering for the wide range of pupils' needs in the school. Governors are knowledgeable, provide effective support and challenge and hold leaders to account. The school is a well-established part of the local community and takes advantage of the rich cultural opportunities.

It has strong links with the three local churches and has received very good support from the diocese. The headteacher provides outstanding leadership. Her drive, enthusiasm and ambition for the pupils in the school have been key to the school's improvement over the past few years.

She has established a strong sense of teamwork amongst staff who are loyal and appreciate opportunities for training and development. Subject leaders make a valuable contribution to raising standards in their areas.

Information about this school

St Clement Danes is slightly smaller than the average-sized primary school.

There is one form in each year group from Reception (full-time) to Year 6, and a full-time Nursery for three to four year-olds. Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, with the largest group being White British, representing a quarter of all pupils. Over half the pupils speak English as an additional language, which is much higher than the national average.

Many pupils are at an early stage of learning to speak English when they start at St Clement Danes. An above-average proportion of pupils join the school at times other than the start of Reception. Approximately one third of pupils are eligible for the pupil premium (extra government funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals or in local authority care), which is above the national average.

The proportion of disabled pupils or those who have special educational needs supported through school action is, at 8.7%, close to the national average. Whereas 15.

7% of pupils, which is twice the national average, receive support through school action plus or a statement of special educational needs. The headteacher provides support to a number of other local schools. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

Also at this postcode