St John’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming and inclusive school. They are polite and considerate towards adults and each other.

Expectations of behaviour in and around the school are high, including for the early years children. Children get off to a flying start in nursery. Routines are well established and understood by the youngest children.

This permeates throughout the school. Adults know the pupils well. As a result, relationships are positive and respectful.

Pupils and staff are proud of their school. Pupils talk confidently about the school's values, which are integral to the day-to-day life of the school. Pupils have positive attitudes towards their learn...ing.

They are eager to contribute their ideas in lessons. They use a broad range of appropriate vocabulary when talking about their learning.

Pupils are actively involved in the life of the school and local community.

They know that they have a voice and feel valued. The opportunities to develop their interests and talents help them to thrive. Pupils enjoy attending the range of clubs available, including 'Starmakers', arts and crafts and trombone.

Parents and carers wholeheartedly agree. They value all that the school has to offer, as well as feeling part of one 'big family'.

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

Leaders are ambitious for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

They have a shared vision that everyone understands and promotes. With support from the trust, leaders have been relentless in their drive to improve the quality of education.

Leaders have prioritised reading.

From Nursery Year, children listen to stories. There is a strong focus on developing story language and vocabulary. Children learn to read from the start of their time at the school.

There is a systematic and effective approach to teaching children to read. Leaders quickly identify any gaps in pupils' knowledge and address these swiftly so that pupils keep up with their peers. This supports them to become confident and fluent readers.

Older pupils continue to read books that match their comprehension level. They talk positively about their favourite author and books they enjoy. Leaders ensure that there is a broad range of books that celebrate diversity.

Leaders have an ambitious and well-designed mathematics curriculum. This begins in Reception Year. There is a strong focus on developing children's mathematical vocabulary from an early age.

This supports pupils to explain the methods they use to tackle more complex problems. For example, older pupils can explain how to convert fractions with different denominators to subtract fractions, using accurate vocabulary. As a result, pupils, including those with SEND, build their knowledge well.

Adults are ambitious for every pupil, irrespective of their need. The curriculum is carefully constructed to ensure that all pupils with SEND have their needs met well. Pupils with SEND receive expert support.

Individual targets break down the essential knowledge pupils need to know into small achievable steps. This helps them to be successful and have full access to the curriculum alongside their peers. For example, in music, appropriate adaptations to instruments ensure that all pupils can actively participate in lessons and succeed.

Leaders have identified the key knowledge they want pupils to learn across the wider curriculum. They have effective assessment systems in place in mathematics and phonics. This means they know precisely what pupils remember and can rectify any gaps they may have.

However, some leaders, including those who are new to the role, are not secure in their understanding of the curriculum design. They do not know how effective the curriculum is implemented in the subject they lead. In some curriculum subjects, assessment is not as effective as in mathematics and phonics.

As a result, subject leaders do not know what pupils have remembered or what gaps in knowledge they have. Leaders are aware of this and there are plans in place to address it.

Leaders' work to promote pupils' wider development supports pupils to be tolerant, accepting and kind.

Pupils know that everyone is a unique individual. They know how to keep themselves physically active and enjoy the 'golden daily mile'. Pupils say that they enjoy the 'chimes' they listen to, which help them to relax their minds.

They know that if they have a worry or concern, they can talk to a trusted adult in school who will help them.

Staff are proud to be part of the 'St John's family'. They feel thoroughly supported by leaders and say that their expectations are realistic and help them to manage their workload.

They appreciate the support of leaders in their ongoing professional development.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have secured a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff are well trained to recognise signs of harm in pupils. The ongoing training ensures that safeguarding is at the forefront of their minds. They report any concerns promptly and leaders follow these up meticulously with appropriate actions.

This means that pupils and families get the support they need, when they need it.

Pupils know how to stay safe, including when using the internet. They know that they should never share any personal information with strangers.

The school has suitable policies in place to raise awareness among staff and parents about the dangers of sexual harassment, online abuse and sexual violence.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some wider curriculum subjects, subject leadership needs further development. Subject leaders' understanding of the curriculum design is not secure, and they have not identified that some pupils are not building knowledge as well as they could.

Leaders need to ensure that all subject leaders are well equipped to monitor their subject and have a clear oversight of how well pupils learn the intended curriculum. ? In the wider curriculum, assessment is not effective in identifying what pupils know and can do and what gaps they have in their learning. Leaders need to ensure that there is a consistent approach to assessment, so that knowledge builds well and any gaps in pupils' knowledge can be addressed.