St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St James CofE Primary School, Daisy Hill continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone is made to feel welcome at this school.

Pupils know that they are looked after by kind adults who know them well. This helps pupils to feel happy and safe in the school community.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement.

Pupils benefit from an ambitious and varied curriculum. They spoke confidently about their learning and understand why education is important for their future lives. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well across the curriculum.

Pupils are considera...te and caring towards each other. They behave well in lessons and at playtimes. In lessons, pupils listen carefully to teachers' instructions, and they are eager to contribute to discussions.

Older pupils are excellent role models for younger pupils in the school.

Pupils benefit from taking part in a wide range of activities as they move through the school. The school offers a range of trips and visits that complement pupils' learning of the curriculum.

For example, pupils spoke with relish about visits to Eureka, Chester and the Imperial War Museum. Pupils hear from a range of speakers. For example, the police and fire and rescue services visit children in the early years to talk about safety in the community.

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

The well-designed curriculum ensures that pupils achieve high standards from the earliest stage. The school has thought carefully about what pupils need to know and remember, ordering this learning logically from the early years to Year 6. In this way, pupils develop a secure body of subject knowledge.

Teachers have the subject expertise to deliver the curriculum well. They use modelling effectively and bring learning to life through clear and logical explanations. Teachers use questioning skilfully to check pupils' understanding and address any misconceptions as they arise.

However, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not use assessment methods well enough to identify some of the gaps in pupils' subject knowledge. Occasionally, this means that teachers do not know what subject content pupils need to revisit and practise before moving on to new learning. At times, this hinders some aspects of pupils' achievement.

The school promotes a strong culture of reading for pleasure. Pupils read widely and confidently. They enjoy the books that their teachers share with them.

From the start of the Nursery Year, staff introduce children to a wide range of books, stories and rhymes. Reception children get off to a flying start with their reading and are taught phonics from the outset. Staff have the knowledge and skills that they need to deliver the daily phonics sessions effectively.

Pupils read from books that are matched accurately to the sounds that they already know. Those pupils who find reading more difficult are quickly spotted and given help to catch up.

The school identifies pupils with SEND in a timely and accurate way.

Teachers use information about pupils' additional needs to adapt lesson delivery and provide tailored support for these pupils. The school ensures that pupils with SEND can access the curriculum effectively and alongside their peers.

The school has a clear behaviour policy that staff follow consistently well.

This means that pupils know what is expected of them. Pupils strive to live up to the school's 'gold' standard. They enjoy receiving rewards in recognition of their positive attitudes to learning.

Pupils are polite and welcoming of visitors. Typically, pupils attend school regularly.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their interests.

Pupils enjoy taking part in a variety of extra-curricular experiences, such as choir, football and gymnastics. Pupils have a strong awareness of strategies that promote mental and physical well-being. For example, pupils are supported to build positive mindsets in workshops with the Leigh Leopards.

Pupils learn about cultures and beliefs different to their own. They confidently spoke about the school's values and the importance of being respectful to others.

The school has established a strong collaborative culture.

Staff work well together as a cohesive team. They said that the school is a happy community where they take care of each other. Governors are ambitious for the school.

They bring a wealth of knowledge and skills to their roles, providing effective challenge to the school, as well as guidance and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, some teachers do not use assessment methods well enough to identify and address gaps in pupils' knowledge.

On occasion, this hinders how well some pupils make sense of new learning. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, assessment strategies give teachers enough information about what pupils need to revisit and practise before moving on.

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 January 2019.