St John's CofE Primary School

Inspection of an outstanding school: St John's Church of England Primary School Spring Park Road, Shirley, Croydon, Surrey CR0 5EL

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Inspection dates: 21 and 22 September 2021

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Outcome

St John's Church of England Primary School continues to be an outstanding school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Everyone at St. John’s is kind and respectful. Pupils enjoy coming to school and they feel happy and safe. They know the difference between right and wrong. Pupils said that bullying rarely happens and, if it does, adults deal with it and it does not happen again. Pupils learn about healthy relationships. The school vision is ‘Love, Learn, Flourish’. It is consistently modelled by staff and pupils.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff really care about and are extremely ambitious for their pupils. They make themselves available to parents and carers at the start and at the end of the school day. Parents speak very highly of the school, saying that the leadership is visible and strong.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils make excellent progress through the curriculum. They are very well prepared for their move to secondary school. This is because teachers are regularly trained and teach all subjects well. Pupils start learning to read as soon as they start school. They enjoy taking a range of books home.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils here especially love music. The curriculum is of high quality, with many additional opportunities, such as choirs and instrument tuition.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils remember their learning. This is because they enjoy it and have regular opportunities to recall what they know.

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

Pupils receive a high-quality curriculum across all subjects of the national curriculum. Lessons are sequenced so that new knowledge makes sense to pupils and ideas are linked together. Through regular recall, pupils can remember what they have learned before. Teachers then support them to build on that knowledge. Pupils enjoy their lessons. They retain important knowledge and information that they have learned in a range of subjects. 21 and 22 September 2021

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Leaders also make sure that pupils enjoy learning outside the classroom. The many before- and after-school clubs are well attended. Alongside the high-quality music curriculum, pupils can learn a range of instruments. Music specialists teach throughout the school. Pupils learn about rhythm, pitch and tone through engaging and suitably demanding activities. They are confident and excited about their music learning.

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Early reading is a strength at the school. Pupils start to learn phonics as soon as they start in Reception Year. They enjoy and actively take part in their phonics lessons. Children in Reception Year begin to recognise letter sounds very soon after starting school. Adults continue teaching pupils in Year 1 and Year 2 to read well. They regularly check what pupils can do and give them extra support if they need it. Some pupils fell behind in reading during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) national lockdowns. They are now catching up quickly because adults are giving them the extra support they need.

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All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are included in every lesson. Pupils get extra support when necessary. Adults provide appropriate resources to help pupils with their learning. Parents praised the way staff support their children. Pupils with SEND achieve well across all subjects.

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Mathematics is planned and taught extremely well across the school. Training is provided to make sure that staff can teach this subject confidently. All pupils achieve highly in mathematics.

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Leaders have embedded the school’s vision and rules throughout the school. These fit in with the school’s strong values. The rule ‘Love one Another’ is seen in action in classrooms. Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other and towards adults. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive. A strong sense of community exists where everyone looks out for each other. Leaders, including governors, actively make sure that they look after their staff. All staff said that they are proud of the school and get support to do their job. Everyone appreciates the care offered to them by the headteacher.

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Behaviour is exceptional. Pupils behave consistently well, even when adults are not present. There is no disruption in lessons, which means that pupils can learn at all times. They move around the school calmly. Reception-age children walk around the school sensibly as soon as they join. They behave well and follow adult instructions.

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In Reception Year, the curriculum is also well planned. Staff set up classrooms to help children to learn independently and access activities easily. Across the school, high-quality work is modelled by teachers and pupils.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders take safeguarding seriously. All required procedures are in place for the safe recruitment of staff. All staff receive regular training and know what to do if they are concerned about a pupil. Staff engage well with all relevant external agencies to ensure 21 and 22 September 2021

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the best outcome for their pupils. They work closely with parents to understand pupils’ needs.

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Pupils said that they are confident they could talk to a trusted adult if needed. Pupils have regular online safety lessons. They talk confidently about what they would do in different online scenarios to stay safe.

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Background

When we have judged a school to be outstanding, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains outstanding. This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or outstanding school, because it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection. Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the section 8 inspection as a section 5 inspection immediately.

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Background

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be outstanding on 13 and 14 January 2016.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents and carers think. We use information from Ofsted Parent View when deciding which schools to inspect, when to inspect them and as part of their inspection.

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How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

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How can I feed back my views?

If you are the school and you are not happy with the inspection or the report, you can complain to Ofsted .

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Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

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Further information

In the report, 'disadvantaged pupils' refers to those pupils who attract government pupil premium funding: pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years and pupils in care or who left care through adoption or another formal route. 21 and 22 September 2021

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School details

Inspection number 10199493 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 13 and 14 January 2016, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has increased the number of pupils on roll since the previous inspection. There are now two classes in each year group except in Year 6.  This is a Church of England school. It received its section 48 inspection in November 2015. All section 48 inspections were suspended in March 2020 as part of the government’s COVID-19 legislation. Section 48 inspections are due to restart in September 2021. Section 48 inspections will now take place within 8 years of the last inspection.  The school runs its own breakfast club.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with school leaders and has taken that into account in their evaluation.  The inspector met with all senior leaders. They met with most teaching staff and some support staff. They met with governors and spoke to a local authority adviser, an adviser from the diocese, and the chair of the governing body over the phone. 21 and 22 September 2021

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 The inspector carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and music. For each deep dive, the inspector met with subject leaders, looked at curriculum plans, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work. Pupils’ learning in some other subjects was also considered.  The inspector scrutinised a range of documents, including leaders’ evaluation of the school and priorities for improvement.  The inspector reviewed arrangements for safeguarding by scrutinising records and through discussions with staff and pupils.  The inspector took account of the views of pupils, parents and staff, as gathered through discussions and Ofsted’s surveys.

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Inspection team

Aliki Constantopoulou, lead inspector Her Majesty's Inspector 21 and 22 September 2021

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regulates and inspects to 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, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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