St Simon and St Jude CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Leaders have worked with pupils, parents and staff to make the school a positive, ambitious place to learn. Pupils feel proud to be part of its community and they wear their new uniform smartly. Strong and skilled leadership from the headteacher has brought marked improvements to the quality of education since the last inspection.

Senior leaders have given staff extensive guidance and training to improve their skills. Good teaching is now thriving. Teachers' good knowledge of the subjects they teach and of their pupils means that they match the work they plan well overall to the things that pupils can do.

Pupils are making good progress a...cross all key stages. Attainment is rising across the school. Teachers are filling with urgency any remaining gaps in pupils' learning.

Because the curriculum is interesting and well matched overall, pupils no longer become bored or lose focus. They pay attention and complete large amounts of work with care and pride. Children make strong progress in the early years.

They are engrossed in the exciting activities teachers plan for them in the Reception class. Pupils enjoy coming to the school to learn. Absence, including persistent absence, is now much lower than typically seen in other schools.

Staff are very good role models for pupils and uphold the school's ethos and virtues. This helps pupils to be reflective, respectful and caring. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school.

Skilled staff work tirelessly and sensitively to support the most vulnerable pupils, including those who find it difficult to manage their own behaviour, or who have experienced trauma. The most able pupils are not challenged sufficiently. Not enough of them achieve the standards of which they are capable.

Though pupils make good progress in a wide range of subjects, some subjects are not planned and delivered as effectively as they need to be. As a result, pupils sometimes do not remember some of the important things they are taught.

Information about this school

This school is smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The proportion of pupils supported through the pupil premium is much higher than average. The very large majority of pupils are from a White British background. The proportion from minority ethnic backgrounds is well below average.

The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is well below average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is higher than average. The school is part of the Diocese of Leicester Academies Trust.