St Nicolas C.E. Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their diverse school. The school's vision, 'For the good of all' is well understood. Pupils are friendly and welcome new pupils to the school with warmth and kindness.

There is a happy feel to this school. Pupils develop strong, positive relationships with the teaching staff. They know that their trusted adults will help them if they have any worries.

Pupils achieve well across most of the curriculum and therefore are prepared for their next steps in education. There are high expectations set for pupils' behaviour. As a result, most pupils are attentive in their lessons and are keen to learn.

At breaktimes, pupils enjoy participating in a ...wide range of activities with their friends.

Pupils benefit from many meaningful opportunities which nurture and build on their talents and interests. They include many music events and opportunities to play musical instruments.

Pupils are proud to represent the school as part of the choir at a national event. The school encourages pupils to be physically active through the offer of many sporting competitions and extra-curricular clubs, including fencing, archery and dance. Pupils recognise the benefits of completing their 'daily mile'.

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

The school has high ambition for all pupils. In every subject, there is a clear learning journey meaning that teachers know what to teach and when. This includes a highly effective and individualised approach for supporting pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Pupils who need extra help with their learning or behaviour gain benefit from their time in the school's nurture group.

The school has acted decisively to strengthen the curriculum. In the past, some pupils did not achieve as well as they should with their writing.

Pupils' written work shows that this recent improvement has a positive impact. Pupils have opportunities to build their writing stamina and participate in the school's 'writer of the week' challenge. However, although pupils have a secure understanding of a range of sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation it is not always evident in their written work.

The school ensures that pupils learn to read well. Pupils are adept at interrogating texts and examining authors' use of language. Staff support pupils who need extra help with their reading, using a phonics-based approach.

This means that these pupils catch up with their reading and read with increasing fluency. Pupils enjoy their class reads and visiting the school's library. They benefit from additional events such as poetry week and visits from authors.

Pupils remember their learning well. This is because teachers routinely recap previous learning so that pupils build on it. In mathematics lessons, pupils practise their number skills and calculation methods.

This means that they have the skills to successfully solve mathematical problems. In science, pupils make strong links between their areas of learning.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and the school supports them well.

They ensure that pupils have access to the resources they need to support their learning. Pupils enjoy the activities in their lessons. However, there are a few times when activities do not have a clear learning focus.

In these lessons, pupils do not learn as well as they could.

The school embraces its increasingly diverse school community. Pupils learn about a wide range of faiths and cultures.

They are accepting of difference and show empathy and understanding towards others. Families are included in school events such as 'The International Evening' where a diverse range of culture and traditions are celebrated by all.

Pupils' attendance is high.

This is because the school actively promotes good attendance and supports families well. In addition, pupils want to come to school as they enjoy their learning and social times. Families value the support the school gives them.

The governing body are well informed about the work of the school, including its strengths and next steps. The school engage well with the local authority and the diocese and value the support they receive from them.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In English lessons, teachers do not make the links between reading analysis and pupils' own writing explicit. This means that some pupils do not produce written work which reflects the depth of their understanding about language, grammar and punctuation. The school should continue with its work to support the teaching of English so that pupils' writing outcomes improve.

• In some lessons, the chosen activities do not have a clear learning focus. This means that sometimes pupils do not learn the intended curriculum. The school should ensure that teachers are supported in designing activities which develop pupils' knowledge and skills.