Stanground St Johns CofE Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Stanground St Johns CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Elizabeth Hindmarsh.

This school is part of the Diocese of Ely Multi Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer, Adrian Ball, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Helen Jackson.

What is it like to attend this school?

Stanground St John's is a warm and welcoming school.

There is a calm and purposeful atmosphere that reflects its ethos of 'love, joy and respect'. The school sets high expectations for pupils' achievement. Pupils live up to these ex...pectations.

They speak confidently about the work that they do in class. Pupils' positive attitudes to learning, and the pride that they take in their work, help them achieve well. Pupils appreciate the support they receive, which helps them to develop their knowledge and understanding.

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They have strong relationships with staff. Pupils know that they can speak to staff when they have a worry.

They trust staff to help them to resolve difficulties. Pupils are happy, safe and supported in school.

Pupils can take part in a range of activities to broaden their experiences.

Trips to places of interest, including the Houses of Parliament, help bring the curriculum to life. A range of after-school clubs help pupils to develop their interests and talents. Older pupils can take on some responsibilities in school.

Currently, however, pupils have limited chances to develop their leadership skills.

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

The school has carefully considered the curriculum. The school's curriculum planning sets out clearly what pupils should learn in each subject from the early years onwards.

In most subjects, the school has made sure that teachers have the expertise to teach the curriculum well. Teachers break down learning into small steps. They make the links between different subjects and earlier learning clear to pupils.

This helps pupils to apply what they already know when they are learning something new. Teachers skilfully check for any misconceptions pupils may have and address these.In a few subjects, where the curriculum is newer, teachers are not confident about what pupils have learned before.

This makes it difficult for teachers to ensure new learning builds on what pupils already know. Pupils make less progress in these subjects.

Previously, pupils have not achieved as well as they should have in reading and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

The school has unpicked the reasons for this. Improvements to the curriculum and clearer expectations of behaviour are now well established. Work in pupils' books and learning in lessons demonstrate that pupils' achievement continues to improve, including in reading and mathematics.

Pupils and children in the early years get off to a good start with their reading. Pupils learn to read new sounds in a logical order. Teachers help them to practise and build on what they already know.

Pupils take home books that match the sounds they have been learning in class. Timely, additional support is put in place for those pupils who need it. This helps them to keep up with their peers.

Pupils develop a love of reading. They read a range of high-quality books, both classic and modern. This helps pupils to broaden their vocabulary.

They talk knowledgeably about their favourite books.

The school ensures that all pupils study the full range of subjects. Teachers adapt the curriculum well, so that disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) can join in and learn alongside their peers.

The school uses assessment information to understand how well pupils with SEND are learning the curriculum and make any necessary adjustments to teaching. This helps pupils with SEND to make strong progress.

The school has made changes to promote calm behaviour throughout the school day.

These changes are working well. Pupils' positive attitudes lead to focused and orderly behaviour in lessons. Pupils play well together at breaktimes.

The school has effective strategies to manage poor attendance. When needed, families receive effective additional support to improve pupils' attendance.

The school ensures that pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain.

The school draws on local expertise to develop pupils' understanding of different beliefs and cultures. Pupils know that everyone should be treated with respect, regardless of their differences. A wide range of trips, visits and visitors enhance pupils' wider development.

Pupils understand the importance of keeping fit and eating healthy foods. Opportunities to take on leadership roles are currently limited to older pupils.

The trust and local governing board support and challenge the school effectively on the quality of education that it provides.

Staff appreciate opportunities to work collaboratively with colleagues across the trust. Staff value that their workload and well-being are a priority and are proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in some subjects is less established than in others. Where this is the case, teachers are less familiar with what pupils have learned before. Therefore, they do not plan learning that builds consistently well on pupils' prior knowledge.

This means that pupils do not know and remember all the key knowledge that the school has identified. The school should ensure that, in all subjects, teachers have a secure understanding of pupils' previous learning and plan effectively to build on pupils' prior knowledge. ? Pupils have few opportunities to take on additional responsibilities outside of the classroom.

This limits opportunities for pupils to develop further their confidence, resilience and independence. The school should increase opportunities for pupils to contribute positively to the school community and develop aspects of character such as confidence, resilience and independence.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good on 19 and 20 June 2018.

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