St John’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be part of St John's Catholic Primary School and all that it stands for. They are keen to explain the school values and what it means to 'love one another'.

Pupils show respect and thoughtfulness around the school. Bullying is rare. Staff resolve any cases quickly and effectively.

Pupils know this and are confident to turn to them if needed.

Pupils behave well, rising to meet leaders' high aspirations in lessons and during social time. They work hard and focus well on their learning.

Pupils help each other when they occasionally fall short of their intentions, showing resilience and reflecting calmly about how they can learn from ...any mistakes.

Pupils are happy to attend school. They join in the wide range of learning and extra-curricular activities with energy and enthusiasm.

From Reception Year onwards, pupils are encouraged to try new things, explore the unfamiliar and develop new skills. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported to join in with these enriching experiences, including residential trips. Pupils relish the wide range of clubs ranging from sports to sewing.

Parents and carers are also positive about this happy school, many describing it as a 'lovely school'.

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

Leaders have adopted a suitably broad and ambitious curriculum that supports pupils well from Nursery to Year 6. For the majority of subjects, leaders and staff ensure that learning is planned carefully.

They have agreed important knowledge and vocabulary that they will ensure pupils learn as they move through the planned curriculum. This is particularly effective in mathematics, where pupils are helped to re-visit and build on prior knowledge. However, in a minority of subjects, what pupils already know and understand is not fully considered as new topics are introduced.

They do not learn to recall and apply their prior knowledge routinely. This hinders pupils' learning over time.

Teachers are enthused by the renewed curriculum and training that they have received.

They speak highly of leaders in the school and multi-academy company (MAC) who have helped them to develop their skills. Consequently, lessons are purposeful and positive. Teachers explain and model new ideas well.

They use questioning to assess pupils' understanding in order to adjust activities. However, this is not yet consistently effective. A few of the commercial schemes adopted by the school are not fully matched to the needs of all pupils.

Some staff do not yet have the knowledge and confidence to do this routinely. Teachers use strategies to ensure that pupils with SEND learn effectively. Teaching assistants are skilled and knowledgeable.

They provide bespoke support for pupils with complex needs.

Leaders have put reading at the heart of the curriculum. In Nursery, children start learning to read from when they arrive.

This helps them to develop a love of stories and reading that is continued through the school. Staff use secure subject knowledge to teach phonics effectively. Struggling readers are given helpful extra support which enables them to keep up.

They read books that are closely matched to the sounds they have learned. Pupils read routinely in lessons, to develop their fluency. They read a range of different texts, which helps to develop a love of reading.

Staff and leaders have established a positive culture throughout the school. Teachers have high expectations and have established clear routines in lessons which pupils respond positively to. They behave well and any low-level disruption is quickly and successfully addressed.

Behaviour in lessons is orderly and respectful. Pupils demonstrate caring behaviour at lunch and break time. Year 6 pupils are proud to be playground monitors and they act as excellent role models for younger pupils.

Leaders ensure that pupils develop personally as well as academically. Staff provide opportunities to develop pupils' social skills. For example, Nursery children learn how to work with other children and share resources.

Pupils learn the importance of accepting others and learning that people have different views. In Year 5, pupils debate the right to protest and visit the Houses of Parliament. Staff develop ambition in pupils through the weekly house competitions.

These are awarded to those demonstrating the school's values.

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. They have established a strong curriculum supported by extensive staff training.

Although the national end of key stage test results in 2022 were disappointing, current pupils are learning the planned curriculum well. Staff value the support of leaders and their collegiate approach to making changes. Multi-academy company directors and the local governing body have been instrumental in supporting and challenging leaders to achieve improvements.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders use regular assemblies to educate pupils about the nature of specific safeguarding risks. Pupils know who to report concerns to.

A worry room provides a space where pupils can comfortably share any concerns.

Leaders provide high-quality training to help staff to understand their responsibilities. Staff know and are vigilant for the signs of potential safeguarding concerns.

Referrals are swiftly made to external agencies when needed.

Safer recruitment practices are diligent, and the required checks are made on staff and volunteers to ensure they are suitable to work at the school. Governors meet their statutory safeguarding duties.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The teaching of the revised curriculum is not yet developed to meet the needs of all pupils. This means that some pupils can struggle to secure knowledge in a minority of subjects. Leaders need to focus on developing teachers' knowledge of how to adapt the curriculum so that it meets the needs of all pupils.

• In some foundation subjects, curriculum thinking does not yet link important knowledge between different topics. This means that pupils do not build a deep enough understanding of important concepts in these subjects. Leaders need to refine curriculum thinking so the curriculum re-visits and further embeds important knowledge across topics.

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