St John’s CofE Aided Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Achievement is good, and attainment is broadly average and rising.

Pupils are making good progress across the school and learn especially quickly in reading. They enjoy books and make good use of their knowledge about the sounds that letters make. Most teaching is good or better.

Teachers make sure that pupils of differing ability are given work that is just right for them and make lessons interesting. Pupils appreciate the visits and visitors that help to bring topics to life. The school has good systems for supporting pupils in their personal development and, as a result, pupils are polite and considerate.

They feel safe, and ...behave sensibly because : they want to do well at school. Leaders have a clear understanding of what needs to be done next to make the school outstanding. The school is managed well and is improving rapidly.

Leaders have been particularly successful in improving teaching, despite the many changes in teachers, and in checking up on how well pupils are doing. Governance is good because governors know how well the school is doing and provide good support to enable the school to develop further. Parents and carers are pleased with the school and agree that it is continuing to improve.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Improvements made in mathematics are not as rapid as in English because pupils are not all good at mental arithmetic or knowing what to do when given a mathematical problem to solve. Leaders are not checking up on the attainment and progress of pupils eligible for free school meals thoroughly enough to ensure that the attainment gap is closed for all of these pupils.

Information about this school

The school is a much larger than average-sized primary school.

About a tenth of pupils are supported through school action. This proportion is similar to the national average. A further tenth of pupils are supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs, which is above average.

Approximately a seventh of the pupils are eligible for the pupil premium (additional money provided by the government for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, children who are looked after by the local authority and the children of service families). This is below the national average. The school has no pupils from service families.

About a third of the pupils in Key Stage 2 joined the school in Year 3 from other schools. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. There have been 10 new teachers since the previous inspection, including some senior leaders.