St John’s Church of England Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils give visitors a warm welcome at St John's. There is a strong sense of pastoral care across the school, which reflects the school's Christian values. Leaders teach pupils how to be responsible, caring citizens.

For example, the school provides families with a community fridge and food shelves in the school reception area. Pupils in turn donate food to a local food bank at harvest time. The school is a valued part of the local community.

The school is a calm and orderly place in which to learn. Teachers make sure that pupils follow the school rules but also support pupils who need help managing their behaviour. Pupils enjoy school and are happy.
.../>Bullying does not worry them. They know that leaders will respond to any incidents of bullying and take effective action.

All leaders have high aspirations for what pupils can achieve.

Pupils live up to these expectations. They achieve well and are proud of their successes.

Pupils value the activities staff provide for them.

This includes a range of sports clubs and trips. Pupils can be sports leaders or members of the school council. They take on these roles willingly.

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

Leaders have thought carefully about what pupils will learn in different subjects. They have made changes to improve how subjects are planned and delivered.

Leaders prioritised the development of English, including reading, mathematics and science.

In these subjects, teachers have secure subject knowledge. Pupils build successfully on what they know year on year. Work in pupils' books shows that they are making good progress.

However, leaders have not set out the learning or knowledge pupils should remember clearly enough in a few subjects, for example geography and history. Some subject leaders are at different stages of their training and development. This affects how well they have developed their subject areas.

Therefore, there is variability in teachers' subject knowledge across subjects. This limits some pupils' progress in those subjects.

Leaders' focus on reading is making a difference.

Pupils develop a love of reading quickly in Reception. Adults base children's learning around different stories each week, such as 'One Snowy Night'. Pupils in all years visit the library with enthusiasm to choose a book to take home to read.

An effective reading programme is in place. This starts in Reception. Staff receive training on how to deliver the programme.

Leaders check how well pupils are reading. They put appropriate support in place if needed. Consequently, pupils are developing into confident, fluent readers.

Adults have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. There are well-established routines for learning in all years. This means that little learning time is lost.

Behaviour across the school is good. Pupils are eager to learn and answer questions about what they are learning.

Children in Reception get off to a good start.

In Reception, adults use resources well to support their literacy and numeracy. Adults' consistent approach to teaching number prepares children well for their learning in Year 1. The development of children's vocabulary and communication is a key focus in the classroom.

As a result, children speak with confidence about their learning.

Leaders provide good care for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They identify their needs and ensure that they all study a broad range of subjects alongside their peers.

All pupils with SEND have a 'My Tracker'. These plans describe what the pupils need help with. However, leaders have not ensured that they are precise enough.

They do not accurately identify what staff need to do to help pupils with their learning or manage their emotions. This limits pupils' progress in overcoming some barriers to learning.

Leaders check the attendance of pupils and act quickly when needed.

Early indicators show that this is making a difference for some pupils. For those who do not attend school often enough, their attendance is improving over time. However, leaders know there is more work to do to improve attendance overall.

Pupils have a range of opportunities to work with the local community. They also have opportunities to learn about other faiths and cultures. For example, they celebrate Diwali, and leaders invite parents to school to mark Holi.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

Recent changes to school leadership have brought an energy and drive for further improving the school. Staff speak highly about the support leaders provide for them.

They feel valued and respected and are proud to be part of the school.

Trustees, members, the local academy committee (LAC) and the diocese are all fully committed to the school and its pupils. For example, they regularly check on the well-being of senior leaders in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Pupils' welfare is taken seriously by all staff. They report concerns confident in the knowledge that leaders will take effective action.

Leaders make sure that staff have regular training. The school completes all the appropriate checks on all adults who work at or visit the school.

Pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe through lessons and visitors who come into school to speak to them.

For example, they know not to share their personal details when working online. As a result, pupils say they feel safe.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some subject leaders have had limited training in how to effectively lead and develop their subject areas.

This impacts how well the curriculum is delivered, especially where staff do not have the depth of subject knowledge to deliver the planned curriculum effectively. Leaders should continue to support subject leaders to enable them to successfully develop their subject curriculum and support staff with its implementation. ? Leaders have not ensured that pupils' written SEND provision plans are as effective as they could be in supporting the learning of pupils with SEND.

Information about what support will look like for individual pupils is not precise enough. This means that some staff do not adapt the curriculum to precisely meet pupils' needs. Leaders need to ensure that provision plans clearly set out the specific support the pupils need to enable staff to plan and deliver effective additional support for pupils with SEND.

• Some pupils are absent from school too often. This means they miss out on key learning and find it difficult to keep up with their peers. Leaders should ensure that the strategies they use to improve attendance help all parents to understand the importance of school attendance and its impact on pupils' success at school.