St John's C of E Primary School

St John’s Church of England Primary School Portland Street, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey, KT1 2SG

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Overall effectiveness

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

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school.  Pupils’ attainment at the end of Year 2 and Year 6 in reading, writing and mathematics is higher than that seen nationally.  Senior leaders closely check the progress made by different groups of pupils. They have led a determined effort to improve the quality of teaching, which is typically good, and this has raised the achievement of all groups of pupils.  Disabled pupils and those with special educational needs make similar or better progress compared with other pupils from their individual starting points.  Pupils who receive additional funding known as the pupil premium are closing the gaps quickly in their skills and understanding compared with other pupils.  Learning activities are challenging and pupils are supported effectively in their efforts to achieve well.  Pupils’ behaviour is typically excellent. Many are exceptionally well motivated and enjoy learning. Pupils' social, moral, spiritual and

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Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

cultural development is strong. Incidents of unkindness are rare.  Middle leaders have worked closely with teachers to plan and develop learning tasks that engage and interest the pupils.  Safeguarding and child protection arrangements meet requirements and ensure pupils are safe and well cared for in school.

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It is not yet an outstanding school because

 Pupils’ achievement in writing is relatively weaker than in reading and mathematics .  All governors are not fully confident in reviewing information on pupil achievement in order to compare the school’s performance with schools nationally.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors observed 14 lessons, six of which were jointly observed with the deputy headteacher. The inspectors reviewed pupils’ behaviour and attitudes to learning with a series of five shorter visits to classes on the second day of the inspection.  Inspectors observed a whole-school assembly and the Pentecostal Service that the pupils attended at St John the Evangelist Church.  Meetings were held with groups of pupils, members of the governing body, and senior and middle leaders. The lead inspector also held a meeting with a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors listened to pupils read and scrutinised samples of pupils’ workbooks.  A wide range of documents were examined, including the school’s information on pupils’ recent progress, as well as planning and documentation about checks on teaching, and records relating to behaviour, attendance and safeguarding arrangements.

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Information about this inspection

 The inspectors also took account of the 92 responses to the online questionnaire (Parent View), and from two emails and two letters to the inspection team. The views of parents who were dropping their children off at school were also noted. The views of staff were considered through the 27 staff questionnaires.  On the first day of the inspection, the Year 3 class went swimming in the afternoon and on the second day, Year 6 pupils went on a reward and celebration trip to a nearby theme park.

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Inspection team

David Hogg, Lead inspector Additional Inspector Liz Kissane Additional Inspector Janet Sharp Additional Inspector

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Information about this school

 The school is an average-sized primary school with its own nursery.  The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is slightly below the national average. The proportion of pupils who do not speak English as their first language is much lower than average.  The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs supported at school action is lower than the national average. The proportion of pupils who are supported through school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also lower than that found nationally.  The proportion of pupils supported by the pupil premium is well below that found in most schools. This is additional government funding provided to give extra support to those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and to children who are looked after.  The school meets the government’s current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations

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Information about this school

for pupils’ attainment and progress.  Currently the school is lead by an interim headteacher and deputy headteacher, both of whom were appointed in September 2013. A new headteacher will take over the school in September 2014 and the current interim headteacher will then retire.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Raise the quality of teaching and improve pupil achievement by:  ensuring teachers provide pupils with short-term targets in writing that are linked closely to the tasks and skills they are currently working on  more clearly show pupils what they are expected to achieve and how to extend their learning.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

 Improve the effectiveness of governors by sharpening the skills within the governing body, especially when reviewing information on pupil achievement so that all governors understand how well pupils achieve compared to those nationally.

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The achievement of pupils is good

 Pupils’ achievement is good. Pupils’ attainment is well above that seen in national tests in English and mathematics. In recent years, the progress pupils have made between Year 2 and Year 6, however, has been inconsistent in both writing and in mathematics. The school’s own information indicates that the improvements in the rates of progress made in mathematics in 2013 are sustained but progress was not good enough in writing.  Children join the Nursery class with levels of skill that are broadly typical for their age, and make good progress. By the end of their Reception Year, over 80% reach a good level of development and are well prepared for the move into Year 1.  Pupils’ skills in reading develop quickly, with over four out of five pupils reaching the expected levels of understanding in the phonics (sounds letters make) check at the end of Year 1. By the time they leave in Year 6, pupils read with confidence and fluency and can talk about their

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The achievement of pupils is good

favourite authors and the books they have read and enjoyed.  The progress of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs is good and usually matches, or is better than, that made by other pupils. Support is effective in the classroom and this has helped pupils to close the gaps in their skills and understanding. The school works hard to ensure all pupils have an equal opportunity to succeed and does not tolerate any discrimination.  Pupils eligible for extra funding known as the pupil premium make better progress than in the past. In 2013, the number of pupils in Year 6 eligible for funding was small. Wide gaps in their skills and understanding existed and in 2013, funded pupils were about three terms behind other pupils in reading and over five terms behind in mathematics. In writing, the gap was just about closed. The information the school has for pupils currently in Year 6 shows the gaps have more

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The achievement of pupils is good

rapidly closed. Across the school as a whole, there are few areas where the pupils who are supported are not making better progress than others.  Pupils from minority ethnic groups or for whom English is not their first language achieve well due to effective use of teaching assistants and, as a result, pupils’ progress accelerates as their language skills develop and improve.  More able pupils are challenged to achieve at the highest levels and they achieved significantly above national averages for English in 2012 and in reading and mathematics in 2013.

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The quality of teaching is good

 The quality of teaching is good. Pupils’ learning is supported effectively when teachers focus on pupils’ knowledge and skills that are built around their understanding from previous tasks so that their skills are further developed.  Teachers skilfully weave provoking questions to check how well pupils are doing in lessons. The progress pupils make is monitored closely by senior and middle leaders and support is given to boost learning further if the progress of individual pupils slows.  Pupils’ targets for their work are too general. They are not reviewed often enough and are not closely linked to the specific skills they are working on. This is particularly so in writing, where the learning targets in pupils’ books do not help pupils to extend their skills when writing for a particular purpose or in a particular style.  Activities engage and interest the pupils. In a Year 1 phonics lesson, the teacher enabled pupils

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The quality of teaching is good

of all abilities to make good progress by giving them a range of activities that were not too easy or difficult for the different groups within the class.  Pupils’ work is marked regularly and generally provides pupils with good guidance on how to develop their work further. Pupils are able to make improvements and are encouraged to review the work of others to share and discuss ideas with their partners.  The displays around the school are very good with a range of work from different subject areas on show. Classrooms are welcoming and the displays in them help pupils to record ideas which they can then refer to in a subsequent lesson.

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

 The school’s work to keep pupils safe and secure is outstanding. Pupils say they feel very safe and well looked after in school. They say there is very little unkindness between pupils, although they can fall out; any incidents are dealt with quickly. Pupils have a very good understanding of bullying in its different forms. The school has worked hard to raise pupils’ awareness of how to stay safe when using the internet or social media games.  At break and lunchtimes, pupils play well together and although they do not have many playground toys, they are active, running around and having fun on the climbing frames. The playground is very well supervised and the school has erected a number of lightweight gazebos that provided shade for the pupils.  A very small number of parents expressed concerns about behaviour at school to the inspection team. Their views were carefully considered. The inspection team found the pupils to be

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

excellent ambassadors for this harmonious school. The overwhelming majority of parents who responded to the Ofsted questionnaire or who spoke to the inspection team felt their children were happy, nurtured and well cared for.  Pupils enjoy active roles within the school such as taking on responsibilities as peer mediators. There are very good relationships between the pupils and the adults Both pupils and adults work together as members of the eco council. Pupils are involved in using the outdoor environment and are developing better physical well-being and healthy lifestyles through their learning activities, for example learning to grow fruit and vegetables in the allotment area.  The behaviour of the pupils is excellent. This contributes effectively to their learning. In a Year 5 literacy lesson, pupils demonstrated a total commitment to their learning. The pupils were challenged to discuss and develop their ideas about characters from their photographs. This

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The behaviour and safety of pupils are outstanding

prompted a lively debate in which they argued their case. In a Year 3 lesson pupils seized on the opportunity to use their understanding of advertising techniques to plan advertising slogans to encourage people to buy some more unusual products, such as the benefits of having bee stings. Their skills in discussion and when working in groups were outstanding and they demonstrated a high level of confidence when asked to share and present ideas to other members of the class.  The presentation of work in pupils’ books across different year groups is good and indicates that pupils take care with their work and have a real sense of pride in what they are doing.  Attendance is above the national average. The school works very closely with parents to ensure pupils’ time off from school is kept at a minimum.

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The leadership and management are good

 Leaders and managers over time have sustained generally good or better teaching since the last inspection. This has ensured pupils’ attainment has continued to be above national averages.  Middle leaders have being given further opportunities more recently to take on greater responsibility within the school. They are involved checking teacher assessments through on- going reviews of pupils’ work comparing the judgements with other schools. This has led to the outcomes for pupils, especially the most vulnerable, improving more rapidly.  The local authority has worked closely with the governors in their efforts to appoint a new headteacher and has provided good support to the school in the interim period.  The robust systems in place ensure that the achievement of the pupils is a key factor in the award of salary increases and promotion opportunities for staff. Teaching has improved through effective use of training, for example in mathematics. As a result, the progress pupils are now

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The leadership and management are good

making is better than before.  The rich curriculum engages pupils in their learning with well planned activities and learning opportunities. The school looks to bring exciting activities into school, for example with Science Days or by having pupils visit places of significance such as a local theatre. Links with Kingston University are good and this has led to joint work such as the building of a replica roundhouse in the environmental area.  The spiritual, moral, social and cultural development of the pupils is excellent. Leaders work hard to make this a welcoming and inclusive school. The arts are well supported through music. The pupils’ awareness of the diversity of the community around them is strong, with visits to places of worship of other faiths. This runs alongside the school’s own teaching of Christian values in lessons, assemblies and in the way pupils are encouraged to behave towards one another.

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The leadership and management are good

 The school uses the primary sport funding grant effectively. Qualified coaches work alongside the teachers to deliver high quality physical education lessons. The coaches train and support staff as they develop their own skills. One area that has been developed is the teaching of dance. Traditional sports are encouraged, and many participate in the increased number of interschool competitions.  Senior leaders fully understand their roles and responsibilities in making sure pupils are safe and well cared for while they are in school.

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The leadership and management are good

 The governance of the school:  The governing body is increasingly effective in its role of holding the school to account for how well pupils are achieving, including those who receive additional funding. However, governors are not fully confident in understanding how the school’s performance compares to that of others both locally and nationally. Governors are increasingly active in school. They visit lessons and discuss with teachers how well pupils are doing. They have a good awareness of the quality of teaching first hand, supported by the school’s own reviews. Governors understand the links between outcomes for pupils and salary improvement for teachers and how the school is working to improve the quality of teaching further. The financial position of the school is reviewed carefully as well as the impact of other sources of revenue such as the primary sports funding grant. Safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures are

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The leadership and management are good

regularly reviewed to make sure all of the pupils are well cared for.

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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

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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.

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School details

Unique reference number 102589 Local authority Surrey Inspection number 439498

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School details

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

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School details

Type of school Primary School category Voluntary aided Age range of pupils 3–11 Gender of pupils Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 255 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Paul Martland Acting Headteacher Lynn Halliday Date of previous school inspection 25 March 2009 Telephone number 020 854 67179

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Fax number

Email address admin@stjohns.kingston.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 .

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Fax number

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.

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Fax number

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

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Fax number

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 and 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

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Fax number

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’.

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Fax number

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

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