St James Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and safe at the school.

They typically behave well in their classrooms, when moving around the school and outside in the playground. Pupils know that bullying occasionally happens and are confident that adults are around to listen and help them. Staff deal with any concerns swiftly.

The school's new leaders are approachable and visible throughout the school day.

Leaders and staff get to know every child. They expect and encourage pupils to work hard.

They have designed an ambitious curriculum that helps pupils develop their understanding across and within the subjects taught. This is a school where pupils routinely achieve well.
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Pupils enjoy learning, including visits and workshops that take place inside the school and in the local area.

They support the local food bank and raise money for local charities. They are proud to take on roles representing their class or school, as house captains, science technicians, rights-respecting leaders or school councillors and in extra-curricular clubs.

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

Governors and the new leadership team have high expectations for all pupils.

They have made sure that curriculum leaders identify what pupils need to know to be successful in the future. Leaders are ambitious for all pupils to read confidently and fluently. They have invested heavily in staff's training and resources to support the teaching of reading.

Leaders have prioritised the purchase of class books which reflect the rich, cultural diversity of modern Britain.

The teaching of early reading is a particular strength of the school. Staff who teach early reading are confident and knowledgeable in teaching phonics.

Books for children at the early stages of learning to read match the sounds children know. Workshops help parents and carers to understand the importance of this close match to support early reading. Staff quickly identify and help any pupils who have fallen behind, including new arrivals in Years 3 to 6, so that they catch up and keep up.

Developing a love of reading is prioritised by leaders and teachers. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the books they read and the books that staff read to them.

Pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects.

Leaders have identified the important concepts and vocabulary that they want pupils to learn in each subject. These are well sequenced from the early years to Year 6, so pupils return to, practise and apply their knowledge over time. For example, mathematics and science successfully show leaders' strong curricular thinking.

However, in some areas, leaders have not focused as sharply on what the youngest children need to know and remember over time. This means that on occasions, activities in the early years do not deepen children's understanding as well as they could.

Teachers encourage pupils to think about what they have learned in each lesson.

Assessments help teachers to identify where pupils may not have grasped key parts of subject content and plan the next steps in their learning.

Staff support the small proportion of pupils with special educational needs/and or disabilities (SEND) well. They help pupils with SEND to be successful and keep up with their peers by providing additional, practical resources.

Staff help pupils with SEND to grasp what they need to understand before moving on to new ideas.

Pupils are polite and friendly. They typically listen carefully in class and work hard.

Occasionally, pupils fall out, but staff and teachers help them learn how to be calm.

New leaders and governors make sure pupils' personal development is encouraged strongly. Older pupils spoke with confidence about respecting diversity and the many heritages that make up British society.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is actively encouraged throughout the schools' curriculum. There is much to promote pupils' artistic and cultural skills. Leaders make sure opportunities to attend after-school clubs, including art, French, fencing and gardening, are open to all.

The governing body visits the school regularly. It knows what is working well and what needs to improve. Staff, including teachers at the beginning of their career, appreciated leaders' approachability and support.

They felt trusted and valued by the new leaders at the school. They said that their workload is well managed.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Through up-to-date training, leaders make sure staff are vigilant about pupils' well-being. Staff know how and when to report any concerns they may have. Records show that leaders take prompt action when concerns are raised.

Written records are suitably detailed. Leaders work well with other agencies to ensure that pupils get the support they need. For example, external organisations with expertise in working with children lead workshops and assemblies for pupils on staying safe.

Pupils are taught about healthy, trusting relationships and consent. They are taught about possible risks to their safety and how to report their concerns and encouraged to stay safe, for example when using social media.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In the early years, in some areas, the focus on what children need to know and remember over time is not identified as sharply as in the rest of the school.

This means that planning is not routinely as helpful as it could be to support all staff in the early years. Leaders should ensure that what children need to know and remember to be ready for the start of Year 1 is clearly identified in all subjects.This will help adults supporting across the early years to ensure indoor and outdoor learning opportunities deepen children's knowledge and understanding further.

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