St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School

St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School Beachborough Road, Bromley, Kent, BR1 5RL

p.1

Overall effectiveness

Previous inspection: Good 2 This inspection: Outstanding 1 Achievement of pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of teaching Outstanding 1 Behaviour and safety of pupils Outstanding 1 Leadership and management Outstanding 1

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school.  Pupils’ achievement is outstanding. Throughout the school pupils make at least good progress and in Reception and Years 3 to 6 excellent progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Lower-ability pupils in Years 1 and 2 make exceptional progress.  The quality of teaching is outstanding. This is especially the case in Reception and in Years 3 to 6.  Pupils’ understanding is checked frequently in lessons and they receive regular advice on how to improve their work.  Most pupils read teachers’ detailed suggestions for improvement and use this information to improve the quality of their work. As a result, most make exceptional progress over time.  Additional adults are used effectively in lessons to support disabled pupils and those with special educational needs. As a result, most make the same rapid progress as their peers.  Most pupils read regularly and are fluent and confident readers.

p.1

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

 Pupils’ behaviour is exemplary in lessons and around the school.  Leaders have put effective strategies in place to continuously improve pupils’ attendance. Consequently, their attendance is above the national average.  The executive headteacher has provided many training opportunities for teachers, additional adults and leaders. Consequently, all staff have a clear awareness of their roles and responsibilities.  The executive headteacher is ably supported by the new head of school and together they have very high expectations of the pupils.  Governors are very supportive of the school. They use evidence on achievement to judge accurately how the school compares to other schools.  Governors rigorously hold leaders to account and challenge them to speed up pupils’ progress. As a result, most pupils, including those eligible for the pupil premium grant, are now making excellent progress. Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 2 of 9

p.1

Information about this inspection

 The inspection team observed 12 lessons, most of which were observed jointly with the executive headteacher and the head of school.  The team observed behaviour around the school.  Inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher and head of school. They analysed the school’s information on attainment and progress.  Meetings were held with other senior leaders, staff and with the Chair of the Governing Body. The team met with the local authority’s senior improvement advisor.  Inspectors considered parents’ and carers’ views of the school through informal discussions at the start of the inspection, the 19 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View) and the 67 responses to the school’s recent parental survey.  The inspection team listened to pupils read and interviewed pupils.  The team examined a number of documents, including records of the local authority’s involvement with the school, minutes of governors’ meetings and information on pupils with

p.2

Information about this inspection

special educational needs. They looked at attendance figures and pupils’ work.

p.2

Inspection team

Janice Williams, Lead inspector Additional Inspector David Storrie Additional Inspector Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 3 of 9

p.2

Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school.  Around 19% of pupils are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium, which provides additional funding for looked-after children, those eligible for free school meals and children with a parent or carer in the armed services. This figure is below the national average. There are no pupils who are looked after by the local authority and no pupils from service families currently at the school.  Around 80% of the pupils are from minority ethnic backgrounds with the largest groups of pupils being from Black or Black British, Mixed and Asian backgrounds. This figure is well above average.  Around 46% of the pupils speak English as an additional language. This proportion is well above the national average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is well below the national average, and the proportion supported at school action

p.3

Information about this school

plus or with a statement of special educational needs is above average.  Since September January 2014, the school has been part of a collaboration with St Mary's Church of England Primary School. The executive headteacher currently leads both schools. There is a head of school who started in January 2014 and is responsible for day-to-day leadership of the school.  There has been some restructuring of the governing body and some members are new.  There are a few pupils who are educated off site at Watergate Special School.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils’ attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics.

p.3

What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Accelerate pupils’ progress in Key Stage 1, especially that of the more able, by making sure that work is also hard enough. Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 4 of 9

p.3

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

 Achievement is outstanding because most pupils, especially in Reception and Key Stage 2, make excellent progress in reading, writing and mathematics.  Different groups of children enter Reception with skills that are either below or in line with those expected for their age in all areas of learning. Some children are at the early stages of speaking English when they start. Children make exceptional progress in Reception because of rigorous checks on their progress and superb teaching which continuously challenges the more able to extend their knowledge and skills.  Pupils’ attainment in the Year 1 check on phonics (linking of letters and sounds) has been above the national average. This helps them to make rapid progress in their reading.  Less-able pupils often make exceptional progress because of the excellent support and guidance they receive. The other pupils, including the most able, in Key Stage 1 make good rather than

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

outstanding progress because the work set for them is sometimes not challenging enough to extend their learning.  As pupils continue into Key Stage 2, their progress, including that of the more able, picks up pace and they make exceptional progress in reading, writing and mathematics because of excellent teaching. Standards by the end of Year 6 are above average.  Most disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make rapid and sustained progress. The same is true of those who speak English as an additional language and pupils from different ethnic backgrounds.  Pupils read frequently at school and home and they enjoy reading. They have a clear understanding of what they read and most are fluent and confident readers.  The few pupils who are educated off site also make excellent progress in mathematics and good progress in English.  In 2012, the attainment of Year 6 pupils known to be eligible for the pupil premium was broadly

p.4

The achievement of pupils is outstanding

similar to their peers’ in English and a term behind in mathematics. Although the gap widened a little in 2013, the school’s current assessment data show the gap has now narrowed in most year groups.

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

 The overall quality of teaching is outstanding. In Reception and Key Stage 2, teachers and additional adults continuously check pupils’ understanding and have high expectations which are driving pupils’ thirst for knowledge. Consequently, all groups of pupils, including disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, make rapid progress.  In Reception, children make excellent progress because the teacher and additional adult continuously introduce new concepts that develop children’s thirst for knowledge. In a mathematics session, the more able children were challenged to identify the features and sides of more advanced shapes such as the hexagon and octagon. They made exceptional progress in counting the sides of the shapes and exploring the different colours for each shape.  Teaching in Key Stage 1 is good and over time pupils make at least good progress. Teachers give pupils good advice on how to improve their work. In a Year 2 mathematics lesson, pupils were

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

encouraged to use group discussions to help explain their thinking fully. Occasionally the most- able pupils are given work that does not stretch them.  The teaching in Key Stage 2, especially in Years 5 and 6, is consistently outstanding. As a result, pupils make rapid progress. In a Year 5 English lesson, all pupils, including the more able, made exceptional progress because challenging targets were set for them. They responded well, developing their language skills and using a range of words in constructing their role play.  Pupils made excellent progress in a Year 6 mathematics lesson. They showed that over time, they Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 5 of 9

p.4

The quality of teaching is outstanding

have explored a range of mathematical concepts that they can confidently use and apply.  Pupils’ books are marked regularly and detailed comments from teachers, especially in Key Stage 2, enable them to continuously improve their work because they are given many opportunities to read the advice and comment and correct their work.

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 Pupils’ behaviour is outstanding, both in lessons and around the school. Leaders constantly monitor the behaviour of a few pupils in Key Stage 1 who have difficulty in managing their own behaviour, and are always evaluating and amending their strategies to ensure that the behaviour of these pupils continues to improve.  In lessons, pupils are extremely enthusiastic and very eager to learn. They listen attentively to adults and peers. They enjoy opportunities to discuss, share their ideas and work together. One pupil said, ‘People love learning here.’  Pupils enjoy coming to school and this is reflected in their extremely high attendance which is consistently well above the national average. Around the school, they are polite and Year 6 mentors support and help solve minor problems. They have a clear understanding of when to involve adults if necessary.  Incidents of bullying are very rare and if bullying occurs, pupils are confident that it is dealt with

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

thoroughly and effectively by teachers and leaders.  Pupils have a broad awareness of how to keep themselves safe in different circumstances on the school site and outside of school. They know about cycling safely, e-safety, fire, electricity and railway safety. They know that fire drills are used to help teach about staying safe.  In assemblies, pupils’ behaviour is impeccable as they wait patiently for their peers to arrive and participate in activities when requested. They enjoy the reflective opportunities that promote deeper thinking and sing lustily as they exit assembly.  The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. The site is safe and secure and leaders have ensured that recent heavy rains that have affected a section of the Year 1 class accommodation have not affected pupils’ safety or learning. The ‘false’ wall that blocks natural light from entering the room is unnoticeable because teachers and leaders have ensured that

p.5

The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

displays effectively reflect and remind pupils of what they are learning.  The large majority of the parents and carers who spoke to inspectors, those who completed the school’s recent internal questionnaire and those who responded to Parent View are very positive about the work of school and believe that their children are looked after well and safe.

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

 Leadership and management are outstanding because leaders have thoroughly acted upon areas that needed improvements, which were highlighted in the previous inspection. Consequently, rigorous targets are set so that pupils, especially in Reception and Key Stage 2, know how to improve and they make rapid and sustained progress. Leaders have raised the overall quality of teaching to outstanding.  The inspirational executive headteacher is supported well by the new head of school. He has effectively led and supported another school outside of the local authority and is currently leading another within the local authority as well. Consequently, many schools are benefiting from his expertise, high expectations and his passion for developing leaders to be more effective in their roles.  There are many training opportunities for teachers. The school has its own tailored programme for teachers new to teaching and this helps them to rapidly improve their practice. The executive

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

headteacher has recently focused more on training for additional adults so that their support of those pupils whose circumstances may make them vulnerable is more effective. In lessons, supporting adults make a strong contribution to the achievement of less-able pupils or those with Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 6 of 9

p.5

The leadership and management are outstanding

special educational needs.  Since the head of school has been in post, pupils’ progress is checked more regularly and leaders have high expectations of what the more-able pupils can achieve.  Leadership of the Early Years Foundation Stage is excellent and the leader’s assessments are rigorous. Adults frequently check on children’s progress and create many opportunities for them to think critically. As a result, children make exceptional progress in Reception. More-able children are constantly challenged and some are already working at Year 1 level.  Leaders’ high expectations and rigorous checks on teaching have ensured that all pupils have an equal opportunity to achieve exceptionally well.  Key Stage 2 leadership is exemplary because the quality of teaching over time, especially in Years 5 and 6, is constantly outstanding; pupils make exceptional progress and are well prepared for secondary school. Key Stage 1 leadership is not as strong because a few subject leaders’

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

expectations are not quite high enough, especially for the more-able pupils.  Systems to manage teachers’ performance are in place and effective. Teachers’ targets and pay awards are strongly linked to pupils’ achievement.  The pupil premium funding is used effectively to provide additional support for those eligible for free school meals in English and mathematics and they are now making similar progress to their peers’ in most year groups. The funding is also used to provide laptops, subsidised weekend residential trips and music tuition for some eligible pupils.  The government’s primary school sports funding is used to employ qualified sports coaches to work alongside class teachers. Coaches deliver physical education lessons from Reception through to Year 6 pupils. Teachers’ knowledge and skills improve as they support the coaches and pupils’ physical development is promoted well as they receive quality advice in gymnastics, dance,

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

striking and field games.  Pupils’ spiritual, moral, cultural and social development is promoted well through a wide range of interesting topics, subjects and projects. The school has supported St Christopher’s Hospice. The experience has been valuable for the pupils as they sing for patients, and their involvement has further developed their spiritual awareness because they explore deeper concepts of illness and death through their involvement with a few seriously ill patients. The school is an inclusive community where pupils treat each other equally and fairly. There is a high level of respect for different faiths because the executive headteacher has worked closely with leaders from faith communities and assemblies provide pupils with many opportunities to reflect on aspects of different cultures.  The school has worked well with the local authority, including to confirm its assessment of the

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

quality of the school’s work.  The governance of the school:  Although there has been some restructuring of the governing body and some members are new, they are very dedicated and supportive of the school. They have visited lessons to look at what pupils are learning. They have discussed their findings with the executive headteacher. Governors provide both support and rigorous challenge to school leaders.  The Chair of the Governing Body has prepared a detailed information booklet for new governors which provides in-depth information on their roles and responsibilities. Governors are also clearly aware of how the school’s performance compares to that of other schools nationally and have a clear understanding of the school’s strengths and areas for development.  Governors know about the quality of teaching and the targets set for teachers and that pupils’ progress is linked to teachers’ pay. They are involved in the headteacher’s performance

p.6

The leadership and management are outstanding

management.  Governors ensure that safeguarding requirements are met and attend various training courses in the local authority and in the diocese. They have completed a range of courses including those relating to safer recruitment, school improvement, the new primary curriculum, collective worship, restorative justice and safeguarding. Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 7 of 9

p.6

Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding An outstanding school is highly effective in delivering outcomes that provide exceptionally well for all its pupils’ needs. This ensures that pupils are very well equipped for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 2 Good A good school is effective in delivering outcomes that provide well for all its pupils’ needs. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage of their education, training or employment. Grade 3 Requires improvement A school that requires improvement is not yet a good school, but it is not inadequate. This school will receive a full inspection within 24 months from the date of this inspection. Grade 4 Inadequate A school that has serious weaknesses is inadequate overall and requires significant improvement but leadership and management are judged to be Grade 3 or better. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. A school that requires special measures is one where the school is

p.7

Grade Judgement Description

failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the school’s leaders, managers or governors have not demonstrated that they have the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school. This school will receive regular monitoring by Ofsted inspectors. Inspection report: St John Baptist Southend Church of England Primary School, 27–28 February 2014 8 of 9

p.7

School details

Unique reference number 100728 Local authority Lewisham Inspection number 431303

p.8

School details

This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

p.8

School details

Type of school Primary School category -Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 4–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 210 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Andrea Blower Head of school John Goodey Date of previous school inspection 25–26 February 2009 Telephone number 020 8698 3059 Fax number 020 8695 1249 Email address admin@sjb.lewisham.sch.uk guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234 , or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.8

School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

p.9

School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk, or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9

School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work- based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please

p.9

School details

telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

p.9

School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

p.9