St John Fisher Primary, A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St John Fisher Primary, a Catholic Voluntary Academy, has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

The headteacher of this school is Frank Barratt. This school is part of St Clare Catholic Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Steve Davies, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Kevin Smith.

What is it like to attend this school?

St John Fisher is a school where pupils are safe, happy and valued. Staff are deeply invested in pupils' academic and pastoral development. The school has high ambitions for wha...t pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), can learn.

These ambitions are realised effectively. As a result, pupils achieve very well.

The school is strongly committed to pupils' well-being.

It offers effective ways for pupils to share their concerns. This includes through the 'healthy minds' initiative, where identified pupils are on hand to support others. These approaches work very well and pupils are empowered to speak out.

They learn that asking for help shows strength.

Pupils participate actively in charity events, such as bake sales. This nurtures their understanding of the importance of compassion.

It helps pupils to develop a sense of responsibility and care for those in need. Extra-curricular clubs promote pupils' talents and interests. Pupils apply these vital skills in competitions with other schools.

This helps pupils build their resilience and a healthy competitive spirit.

The school uses positive strategies to help pupils to manage their behaviour. This helps pupils reflect and improve their decisions.

It also empowers them to make thoughtful, consistent choices while considering the impact of their actions on others.

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

Children have a strong start to their education in the early years. Staff have a detailed understanding of each child's starting points.

They use this knowledge to carefully tailor activities to children's learning needs. This successfully supports children's personal, social, emotional and communication skills. Informed interactions between adults and children effectively extend children's knowledge in all areas of learning.

As a result, children gain the understanding they need to successfully progress confidently into Year 1.

The teaching of phonics is highly effective. Staff are well trained to deliver the school's phonics programme accurately.

This ensures that pupils quickly understand the sounds that make up words. Regular checking of what pupils understand identifies any gaps in pupils' learning. The school uses this information to carry out targeted interventions that address these gaps effectively.

Pupils practise reading with books that carefully align with their phonics knowledge. This enables them to become confident and fluent readers.

The school's curriculum is effective, with carefully planned activities that support pupils' development and engagement.

Staff provide well-informed adjustments for pupils with SEND. This includes making sure that the resources and equipment provided help them understand the concepts taught well. These adjustments are effective in enabling pupils with SEND to successfully access the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils behave well in the classroom. They engage and respond positively to the expectations put in place by adults. Writing is a particular strength of the school.

Pupils gain a strong understanding of how to structure and organise different types of sentences. As a result, their creative writing is precise, imaginative and emotionally impactful. Staff generally check pupils' understanding across the curriculum well.

This helps them to quickly address any misconceptions in pupils' learning. However, this is not consistently the case. This means that, at times, some gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified clearly enough.

The school is deeply committed to promoting pupils' broader development. It provides rich opportunities to support their personal, social and emotional growth. Fundamental British values are deeply embedded in school life.

They are actively reinforced through daily activities. For example, pupils experience democracy first hand by voting for their school council representatives. This fosters a strong understanding of fairness, responsibility and collective decision-making.

Pupils develop as responsible citizens through roles such as eco-councillor. Leadership opportunities empower them to create meaningful change, such as developing a nature area with a pond. Pupils learn about how to stay safe.

This includes road, fire and online safety.

Leaders are informed and purposeful in the choices they make to improve the school. Changes are skilfully implemented and result in sustained success.

Staff workload is managed effectively. The school works well in partnership with parents and carers to ensure that pupils attend regularly. Most parents are extremely positive about the support provided.

Those with responsibility for governance have an accurate understanding of the school's work. They use this information to challenge and help leaders to continue to successfully provide a high level of education for pupils.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, checks on pupils' understanding are not as effective as they are in others. This means that gaps in pupils' knowledge are not identified well enough. The school should carry out further work so that the checks made on pupils' learning are used consistently well across all subjects.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024 graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the third ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in May 2015.

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