St James Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Since the previous inspection, school leaders have improved the quality of teaching, learning and assessment.

Expectations and academic standards throughout the school have risen. Recent standards in reading, writing and mathematics at the end of key stages 1 and 2 compare well against national figures. Most pupils make good progress.

In nearly all year groups, however, girls make stronger progress than boys. The curriculum provides a broad range of subjects, which are usually taught well so that pupils learn new things in a logical and meaningful way. Classrooms are well set out to assist learning and teachers' subject knowledge is usual...ly good.

Occasionally, pupils do not make the most of lessons because they are not sure what is expected of them or do not get the right level of challenge when they need it. Phonics teaching is well organised and increasingly effective. Staff have plans to build further on this through ongoing training and sharing more information with parents and carers.

In addition, leaders are looking to do more to promote reading in school and at home. A quarter of pupils are unable to swim well enough by the end of Year 6. Subject leadership has strengthened and all staff now do more to check on pupils' progress and the impact of teaching.

The new leadership of special educational needs is still getting to grips with the role. Good leadership in early years has brought about change for the better. Indoor and outdoor learning areas have been improved and teaching in both the Nursery and Reception classes is good.

Pupils behave well in lessons and get along with one another on the playground. Pupils who find it hard to cope in some situations get high-quality support to help them overcome their difficulties. There are a lot of effective routines in place to support pupils' welfare.

This is a particular strength and parents' confidence in the school's care for their children is well founded. Pupils feel safe in school and trust the adults to help them if they have a problem. The governing body is supportive and informed about the school's current performance.

Governors' role in long-term strategic planning is not well developed. A few school records are not updated or checked carefully enough. Arrangements for staff to share information about pupils' achievement when they move from one class to another could be improved.

Information about this school

St James Primary School is smaller than the average-sized primary school. Most pupils are White British. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils and the proportion of pupils who have SEN and/or disabilities are both above average.

The school runs a breakfast club from 8am each morning. Since the previous inspection, the school has stopped admitting two-year-olds into Nursery. Instead, part-time Nursery provision is offered to three- and four-year-olds.

In addition, there have been several changes to the membership of the governing body. The current chair of governors was appointed in September 2018, a week before the inspection. Currently, the school is being led by an interim executive headteacher who is the substantive headteacher of Moorcroft Wood Primary School, Walsall.

He spends part of the week at St James Primary School. An acting head of school is based full time at St James Primary School. This arrangement was brokered through the local authority.