St Vigor & St John Church School

Inspection of St Vigor & St John Church School Wells Road, Chilcompton, Radstock, Somerset BA3 4EX

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Inspection dates: 11 and 12 October 2022

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Outstanding Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Outstanding

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Overall effectiveness Good

Previous inspection grade Not previously inspected under section 5 of the Education Act 2005 11 and 12 October 2022

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to attend St Vigor and St John Church School. Leaders have created a culture of high expectation, respect and tolerance. From the early years onwards, pupils consistently demonstrate these values in their behaviour.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are given a wide range of opportunities. These begin with children in the nursery and continue throughout the school. Pupils are enthusiastic about their well-established forest school days in Lily’s Wood. Here, pupils develop resilience and learn to take risks. Pupils attending the after-school club, and sit and dine together with a home-cooked hot meal each day.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils take active leadership roles in the four school ‘cornerstones’. These are ‘being adventurous, ethical, connected and being unique’. Pupils contribute keenly to school life, charity and the local community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and cared for. Bullying is not tolerated and pupils have a well- developed sense of why bullying is wrong. Pupils say there is a ‘buddy bench’ for pupils to sit on and meet friends, but few use it any more because pupils look after one another. Pupils speak positively and share their thoughts. They are confident to speak with visitors to the school and eager to share their learning.

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better?

Leaders have embedded an ambitious and carefully sequenced curriculum throughout the school. This is becoming more established and refined. In early years, the curriculum is very well structured. This enables children to make rapid progress in their development. Children learn what they need to know and understand at an age-appropriate level. Children show considerable knowledge in their play and talk. This prepares them very well for the next stages in their learning.

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better?

Leaders focus relentlessly on pupils’ language development and understanding of number from early years into key stage 1 and beyond. Teachers are confident about what pupils should be learning because the required content is well defined in all subjects. A common approach to assessment means that teachers have a good understanding of what pupils know and what they need to do next.

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better?

Some subjects have considered learning beyond the curriculum. For example, in science, pupils study for CREST Awards and experience science in practice with visiting scientists and astronomers.

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better?

Leaders have prioritised reading across the school. Pupils love to read and to talk about their reading. Pupils who are in the early stages of learning to read 11 and 12 October 2022

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learn a phonics programme that begins in nursery. Staff quickly identify pupils who need support to become more fluent and accurate readers.

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Staff identify early those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). This begins in nursery, where staff use experience and training to support pupils with SEND at an early stage. This means bespoke provision is in place before children move to Reception Year. As a result, pupils get the help they need when they need it.

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Pupils have hugely positive attitudes towards their learning. They can talk about what they are learning and how it relates to what they learned before. In the classroom, pupils focus on their learning with enthusiasm. Everyone follows the ‘Golden Rules’ and pupils understand the expectations. For example, a Year 2 class carrying out a practical science lesson moved from their group work to recording their findings with focus and a high degree of motivation. After the lesson, pupils could explain the findings of the experiments and the surprising outcomes.

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Pupils actively contribute to the school and the wider community. For example, they raise contributions for the local food bank and show kindness and concern for one another. Pupils value their environment by tending the garden and caring for the chickens. Through the personal, social and health education curriculum, pupils learn about healthy relationships. They recognise the importance of keeping physically and mentally healthy, and of looking after one another. Pupils are respectful of different views and beliefs. Values-led assemblies and reflection help pupils to appreciate everyone for who they are. Leaders are developing pupils’ understanding of how they can make the world a better place more globally.

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Leaders have high ambitions for all the pupils. The governing body has re- established itself so that its members can provide a higher level of support and accountability to leaders in the school. Staff say they are ‘believed in’ and this gives them confidence that the school will continue to improve.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Leaders ensure that there is regular and up-to-date training. They use case studies to ensure that it is relevant and reflects both national and local safeguarding concerns. Staff are vigilant to identify and report any concerns. Safeguarding is a priority of everyone.

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Safeguarding

Staff take the view that safeguarding can happen anytime and anywhere and are vigilant. Leaders seek a range of external support to help vulnerable pupils and their families. They use this support to improve their own knowledge. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Pupils are well informed about risk, with regard to online safety and when in and out of school. Leaders make sure that pupils develop an age-appropriate understanding of risk.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The governing body has recently reformed its scheme of delegation. This is to ensure that its members are even more knowledgeable and can ask further challenging questions of the leadership. Leaders should now make sure that the governing body can continue to develop and establish itself to be able to confidently provide critical support to senior leaders.

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How can I feed back my views?

school, or to 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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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. 11 and 12 October 2022

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School details

Inspection number 10199364 Type of school Primary

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School details

Website www.stvigorandstjohnschool.co.uk

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School details

Date of previous inspection Not previously inspected

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Information about this school

 The school converted to become an academy in March 2018. It is part of the Bath and Wells Multi Academy Trust. This is a multi-academy trust of 35 schools across Somerset, Wiltshire and Devon.  St Vigor and St John Church School was judged to be outstanding at the most recent Section 48 inspection, which was carried out in June 2017.  The school has its own local governing board with delegated responsibilities.  The school has an on-site nursery provision managed by school leaders.  There is a breakfast club and an after-school club for pupils who attend the school.  The school uses no alternative providers. 11 and 12 October 2022

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this inspection

 This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with leaders and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school.  Inspectors met with the headteacher, senior leaders, other school staff, trustees, governors and the special educational needs and/or disabilities coordinator.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history and science. For each deep dive, inspectors discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ works.  The lead inspector listened to pupils in Years 1, 2 and 3 read to an adult.  The lead inspector met with the designated safeguarding leader, examined school records and discussed safeguarding cases. Inspectors talked to pupils, staff and

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Information about this inspection

governors about how the school keeps everyone safe.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and around the school site.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, and the views of staff and pupils in Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Rachel Hesketh, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Steph Matthews Ofsted Inspector 11 and 12 October 2022

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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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