St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend this school.

They feel safe and well cared for. If they have any worries, they know they can talk to adults in school who will help them. Leaders know their pupils and their families very well and tailor support to help everyone to flourish.

Pupils benefit from leaders' high expectations and they talk enthusiastically about their learning. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported by adults who help them achieve their best.

All pupils are confident that staff take any of the infrequent incidents of bullying or unkindness very seriously.

Staff deal with these i...ncidents effectively, so they do not reoccur. Most pupils focus well on their learning. If attention drifts, staff are quick to help pupils to get on with their work.

Leaders promote pupils' personal development well. Pupils enjoy a range of activities that develop their talents and interests in music, dance and sport. Leaders have created many opportunities to help pupils develop wider responsibilities to support their school community.

Pupils and parents appreciate this. One parent said, 'They support my child not only to learn but also to get involved and become a responsible citizen.'

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

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils, including pupils with SEND.

They make sure that the curriculum meets pupils' interests and enables them to find out more. Leaders have identified the most important knowledge that they want pupils to learn from early years to the end of key stage 2. They have thought carefully about the order that pupils learn this so that new learning builds on what they already know.

There are effective systems in place to check what pupils know and remember. However, these systems are not yet consistently embedded across all subjects. Pupils achieve well.

However, leaders understand that further refinement of practice will help pupils to achieve even more.

Pupils with SEND are well supported. Leaders have put in place rigorous systems to help teachers identify pupils with SEND.

Comprehensive training helps staff to make the right adaptations to the provision for these pupils. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve well and take an active part in the whole of school life.

Leaders make sure that reading has a high priority across the school.

Pupils learn to read using a phonics programme which begins as soon as they start in Reception. Teachers and support staff are well trained and receive regular updates and support with teaching the programme. Pupils become accurate, confident and fluent readers.

Leaders ensure that any pupils who need to catch up have extra teaching that helps them to practise and apply their phonic knowledge when reading. As a result, most pupils learn to read successfully. Pupils enjoy reading.

They relish all the different events to encourage families to enjoy reading together, such as 'Family Reading Night' and 'Read with Me'.

Leaders have created an ambitious and well-planned curriculum in the early years. They make sure parents and carers are involved as soon as possible to help them play an active part in their child's learning.

While all elements of the early years curriculum are carefully planned, leaders have recently focused particularly on communication skills. Children in Reception listen to a range of stories and rhymes, and engaging activities are on offer to give them the opportunity to practise their new skills in different ways. Strong relationships underpin all aspects of provision in the early years.

Pupils enjoy their time in school, and this is reflected in their behaviour. Leaders have given a great deal of thought and consideration to how they can best support all pupils to attend well. This effort is shown in the increasingly positive attendance of most children, especially that of disadvantaged groups and pupils with SEND.

Pupils enjoy learning about different cultures and faiths. Opportunities are built into different aspects of school life that make sure pupils reflect and consider how their actions can affect others. Pupils understand the school's core values of 'Trust, Respect and Friendship' and their significance.

Staff are proud to work at this school. They particularly value leaders' investment in their professional development as well as their consideration for their workload. Staff feel supported and listened to.

Governors play an active role in the school and provide appropriate support and challenge for the leaders. They understand their statutory roles and support the leaders' commitment to ensuring every child in this school achieves well.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

All staff and governors understand the important role that they play in keeping pupils safe. All adults receive the correct training to help them know what signs to look for should a pupil be at risk of harm. Staff report safeguarding concerns promptly and leaders respond in a timely manner.

Leaders are persistent in their work with a range of agencies to help keep pupils safe.

Leaders have designed a thoughtful curriculum to help pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, for example online safety and road safety. Pupils help each other in this learning through their roles as cyber ambassadors and junior road safety officers.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some new school initiatives do not consistently deliver what leaders intend. This means that pupils' learning is not being developed as planned. Leaders should be more rigorous in assuring themselves that all policies and practices are delivered as agreed.

• Teachers sometimes lack expert knowledge in curriculum areas. This can hinder how well they deliver the planned content and build successfully on pupils' prior knowledge. Leaders should continue with developing teachers' implementation of the curriculum so that pupils achieve as well as they possibly can.

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