St John’s (CofE) Primary Academy, Clifton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. St John's C of E Academy is exceptionally good at meeting the needs of all pupils who attend.

As a result, pupils' thrive and by the end of Year 6 the standards of attainment are higher than in most schools. The Principal's ambition to improve the academy is shared by staff and governors all of who are committed to maintaining an outstanding quality of teaching and securing the highest achievement for pupils. The Principal and her able senior leaders have established excellent systems for checking the work of the academy.

Outstanding development planning means that any weakness is speedily identified and addressed. The support fo...r pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is exceptional. The well-being of every child is at the heart of everything the academy does and as a result, pupils' behaviour and relationships with teachers and other pupils are outstanding.

Attitudes to learning are excellent. Safeguarding procedures are highly effective and as a result, pupils and parents are confident in the academy's safe environment. The highly skilled and enthusiastic teaching team use approaches that inspire pupils to learn.

Teachers constantly strive to improve their teaching and readily share their skills with each other. Teachers are ably supported by an extremely strong teaching assistant team which plays an important role in ensuring that all learning time is maximised to the benefit of pupils. Governors play an active role in the life of the academy and provide support and challenge in equal measure.

They are extremely knowledgeable and make informed decisions based on the best interests of the pupils and the community it serves. The academy's curriculum takes full account of the pupils' interests and this ensures they are fully absorbed and engrossed. The academy has an excellent partnership with parents.

One hundred per cent of parents would recommend this outstanding academy to others. The work of academy middle leaders in supporting whole-school improvement is in its early stages.

Information about this school

St John's is a slightly smaller than averaged-sized primary school.

Pupils are taught in single-age classes. The school converted to Academy status in October 2011. The Principal was appointed to the Academy in September 2012.

The proportion of pupils supported at school action, school action plus and with a statement of special educational needs is above the national average. The proportion of pupils eligible for pupil premium funding, which provides additional funding for pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and those looked after by the local authority, is well below average. Most pupils are of White British heritage.

In 2013, the academy met the government's floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress by the end of Year 6 in English and mathematics. The Principal and other members of staff work closely with other local schools in supporting each other in a range of monitoring and development work. The academy provides for breakfast club for the pupils, observation of which was included in the inspection.

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