St John Roman Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.

Pupils are making good progress. The standard of work achieved is above that usually seen for pupils at this age. Pupils' progress is checked regularly.

The information is used to ensure the right support is provided to enable any pupils in danger of slipping behind to catch up. Pupils of all abilities do well in their writing and mathematics and exceptionally well in their reading. Children get off to a good start in the Early Years Foundation Stage because staff provide a stimulating and nurturing environment.

Teaching is usually good and sometimes outstanding. Improvements have resulted from good training and support. Spiritu...al, moral, social and cultural development is promoted outstandingly well.

This makes a strong contribution to pupils' personal development. Pupils work hard, behave extremely well and enjoy school. They are given high levels of support, feel safe and well cared for.

They are proud to belong to this school. School leaders, including the governing body, constantly look for ways to improve their school, particularly teaching, and have ensured that pupils' good achievement has been maintained since the last inspection. Attendance is above average.

It is not yet an outstanding school because : Teaching is not outstanding. It is not yet sufficiently consistent and strong enough to bring about outstanding progress. Although pupils make good progress in writing it is not quite as strong as progress in reading.

Information about this school

The Academy of St John is a broadly average sized 3 to 11 church school, sponsored by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, a multi academy trust. St John's Catholic Primary Academy converted to become an academy school on 1st July 2012. When its predecessor school, St John's Catholic Primary School was last inspected by Ofsted, it was judged to be good overall.

Three quarters of the academy's pupils are Roman Catholics; others have a wide range of faiths, or none at all. Almost all live in the local community. Not all children who join the school in the Reception class have attended the school Nursery.

Since the last full inspection, there have been changes to staff and a new deputy headteacher has been appointed. Most pupils are of White British heritage and very few pupils are at the early stages of learning English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals, and for whom the school receives pupil premium funding, is below the national average.

The proportions of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action are below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which determine the minimum expectations for attainment and progress.