St John the Baptist CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending this friendly school. They understand the school's values of wisdom, hope, community and respect.

Pupils benefit from positive and caring relationships with staff. They feel safe and appreciate the school's ethos of shared respect. Open and honest communication between pupils and staff builds strong, caring relationships.

If pupils have worries or concerns, they are assured that staff will help them. Pupils typically behave well and are kind to each other. They demonstrate the inclusive spirit of the school and show a high standard of manners and politeness.

The school has high expectations of pupils' learning and behaviour. The ambitio...n for children in Reception is exceedingly strong. Pupils love learning and relish the opportunities to demonstrate their understanding.

As a result, pupils usually achieve well.

Pupils love their school. There is an enthusiasm for the learning which is evident throughout the school day.

They relish opportunities for pupil leadership. From Reception onwards, the pupils aspire to positions of responsibility, such as looking after the school chickens. Pupils recognise how the broad range of trips and experiences link to what they learn.

This includes trips to Butser Hill's neolithic settlement and Bignor Roman Villa.

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

In Reception, the curriculum is of a remarkably high standard. Staff are exceedingly ambitious for all children, including those who are disadvantaged.

They prioritise developing children's language and communication skills and skilfully use every opportunity to promote children's learning. This leads to children being highly motivated to learn. Consequently, children achieve exceptionally well.

The school has established effective support for children who need more help. This means that children in Reception with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve the best possible outcomes. Elsewhere in the school, pupils with SEND have their needs identified swiftly and usually learn well, but this is not yet consistent.

The school has introduced a highly ambitious curriculum. In most subjects, the school has identified and sequenced the vital knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn to be ready for the following stages of education. Staff receive high-quality training which ensures they develop strong subject knowledge.

As a result, this enables them to provide clear explanations and check pupils' understanding carefully. They are swift to identify and address any gaps in pupils' learning. This helps pupils to usually learn and remember well across the curriculum.

The teaching of reading is a strength of the school. Staff are experienced and effective at following the sequenced phonics programme. Pupils get the best possible start in their reading from the very beginning of Reception.

This includes pupils who are disadvantaged and those with SEND. The books that pupils read match the sounds they have learned. Staff routinely use careful checks to identify pupils' gaps in learning and provide effective support for struggling readers.

Pupils across the school are enthusiastic readers keen to discuss their favourite books at every opportunity. Staff share this enthusiasm for reading and expertly share a rich range of book types with their classes from various cultures and time periods. Consequently, pupils develop into fluent and accurate readers.

Pupils behave consistently well in this supportive school community. They are friendly and play kindly together at playtimes. Pupils benefit from very positive attitudes to learning.

Expert staff guide pupils who need additional social and emotional support to help them manage their emotions and social situations. This enables these pupils to successfully engage in broader school life.

Pupils' personal development is a priority of the school.

Leaders are committed to ensuring that pupils benefit from a rich spiritual, moral, social and cultural development. They provide a broad range of experiences and trips to support learning in school and enable pupils to explore their talents and interests. This includes opportunities such as leading an extracurricular coding club, singing at the O2 arena and visiting local secondary and independent schools to explore music and computing.

The school positively develops pupils' understanding of fundamental British values, including through a visit from a local magistrate. As a result, pupils develop into well-informed and mature modern citizens. The school makes positive efforts to support parents and is a hub for community activity.

Governors know the school well. They are increasingly effective at working to further improve the school for the benefit of all pupils. However, governors recognise that there is more work needed to strengthen their understanding and skills at holding leaders to account.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a couple of subjects, the curriculum requires further refinement. This means that pupils do not consistently build on their prior learning.

The school should ensure that they continue their work to identify and sequence the precise knowledge and skills they intend pupils to learn and remember across all subjects. ? The support for a few pupils with SEND is variable from Year 1 onwards. As a result, these pupils do not always learn as well as they could.

The school should ensure that staff consistently and effectively adapt their teaching so that these pupils are supported to learn well across the curriculum