St John's Church School

Inspection of St John’s Church School Riseholme, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE2 5SP

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Outstanding Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good 7 and 8 June 2023

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils achieve well at this school. They are expected to work hard and try their best. Pupils know adults will help them to succeed and care about them. They like their teachers. Pupils benefit from access to academic tutors and well-being and sports mentors. They enjoy getting rewards for their efforts.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate having wider opportunities they otherwise would not have. They attend carefully planned trips to broaden their understanding beyond the local area. Pupils especially value the school’s emphasis on sport. In addition to lessons, pupils get regular access to specialist sports coaches to raise their self-esteem. Activities like golf and water sports are part of the curriculum for everyone. As well as many sports activities, pupils can attend a wide variety of clubs like art, engineering and gardening. Pupils have leadership roles like ‘prayer leaders’, ‘well-being warriors’ or ‘maths ambassadors’.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils earn badges and postcards for demonstrating the school values and the high standards of behaviour that adults expect. Pupils understand the school rules and routines. Pupils know if bullying happens that adults will sort it out as soon as they know about it. Pupils are encouraged to share any concerns with trusted adults. Most pupils say they do this.

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better?

Leaders have high aspirations for all pupils. They have designed an ambitious curriculum to meet the specific needs of their pupils. Leaders have thought carefully about the knowledge they want pupils to learn and when they want them to learn it. They have also given the same consideration to what wider experiences and opportunities they want pupils to have. Leaders continually refine their curriculum to ensure it remains fit for purpose and ambitious. Leaders are now reviewing the newly acquired Nursery’s curriculum so that it marries precisely with that of the wider school. This work is still in the early stages of development.

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better?

Leaders share their subject expertise well with staff. Teachers ensure that pupils regularly build on prior learning to understand how new knowledge connects to what they already know. Teachers are clear in the guidance they give to pupils.

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better?

Pupils, including in early years, achieve very well in reading, writing and mathematics. Teachers have good subject knowledge. Leaders and teachers regularly and systematically check for any gaps in pupils’ understanding. These gaps are swiftly and precisely filled.

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better?

In reading, pupils follow a well-structured phonics programme from Nursery onwards. All pupils have books matched to their reading ability. This means they regularly practise the sounds they know and become fluent readers. Pupils read well and any gaps in their reading are quickly picked up and addressed. Pupils of all ages 7 and 8 June 2023

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access high-quality texts that are rich in vocabulary and cover a range of exciting and interesting subjects and genres. This ensures pupils become confident readers.

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Leaders are creative in seeking different ways to overcome any barriers to learning that pupils may have. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Teachers know the needs of these pupils well. They also adapt activities so that pupils with SEND access the full curriculum. As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

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Leaders ensure that pupils experience all curriculum subjects. They supplement this with well-thought-out trips and visits. However, sometimes, in the foundation subjects, the work set for pupils does not always match the curriculum aims. This means sometimes pupils do not have the sufficient detail or depth of understanding that leaders intend.

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Pupils have a positive attitude to their learning and attend school regularly. Teachers address any low-level disruption in class. Most pupils get along well together. Some pupils are less considerate of others at lunchtime. However, all pupils are confident that adults sort out any issues as soon as they know about them. Pupils of any age who need help to manage their behaviour and emotions are supported well.

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Pupils respect differences. They understand equality and the British values of democracy and free speech. Pupils learn about healthy relationships and lifestyles. Leaders take a holistic and clearly thought-out approach to pupils’ personal development that goes beyond the standard curriculum offer. For example, staff also check methodically if any pupils have gaps in their social or emotional needs. They provide extra whole class or personal interventions to fill these gaps using specialist staff and mentors. Leaders’ innovative approaches result in improvements in pupils’ resilience and readiness to learn. Every pupil participates in wider opportunities. Take-up of clubs is high, including for pupils with SEND.

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Staff feel valued and their workload is manageable. Teachers relish the varied professional development opportunities offered.

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Governors know the school well. They are effective in carrying out their statutory duties.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Pupils feel safe and are safe. They are well informed about online safety and managing risks. They know who to talk to if they have worries. Adults, including governors, have regular safeguarding training. Staff know how to identify and report concerns. Leaders work well together to share information about pupils. Staff check that pupils regularly attend school and monitor any changes in behaviour so they are highly attuned to concerns early. Leaders take appropriate and swift action in 7 and 8 June 2023

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response to concerns. Leaders ensure all required checks on adults in school are in place. Governors provide effective oversight of this.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In the foundation subjects, work is not always sufficiently well matched to the aims of the curriculum. This means that pupils do not always acquire the detailed knowledge leaders intend. Leaders need to support teachers to ensure the work given to pupils precisely matches the ambition of the curriculum in these subjects and with the depth intended.  The early years curriculum is in the early stages of being updated to include the recently acquired Nursery. Currently, there is not enough precision in how the early years curriculum builds knowledge from the start of Nursery to the end of Reception. Leaders need to outline the knowledge that needs to be taught in early years and when to teach it. This will then ensure that children are fully prepared for the wider curriculum when they move to Year 1.

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How can I feed back my views?

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. 7 and 8 June 2023

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School details

Inspection number 10255081 Type of school Primary

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Headteacher Colette Firth (Executive Headteacher)

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School details

Date of previous inspection 15 November 2017, under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school took on responsibility for the Nursery in September 2022. Previously the Nursery was separately registered.  The school is part of a federation of three other schools. The executive headteacher oversees all three schools.  The governing body oversees two of the schools in the federation.  There is also a head of school for St John’s Church School.  The school runs its own before-school club.  Currently the school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

The inspectors carried out this graded inspection under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. 7 and 8 June 2023

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 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.  The inspectors held meetings with the executive headteacher, head of school, deputy head of school, assistant head of school, special educational needs co- ordinator, behaviour, attendance and safeguarding leaders, subject leaders, teachers and support staff.  The inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, history, science and physical education. For each deep dive, inspectors spoke to subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke with pupils, looked at pupils’ workbooks and spoke with teachers and support staff. The lead inspector also heard pupils read to a familiar adult.  Inspectors also looked at a range of pupils’ work from across the curriculum.

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 The lead inspector met with four members of the governing body.  The lead inspector spoke to a representative from the local authority.  The inspectors scrutinised a range of documentation, including minutes of meetings of the governing body and the school’s own self-evaluation.  The inspectors looked at the arrangements for safeguarding, including the single central record of recruitment checks. The inspectors spoke with leaders and staff about the systems and processes to support safeguarding, and the safeguarding ethos in the school.  The inspectors considered the responses to Ofsted’s online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View, including 37 free-text comments. Inspectors also spoke to parents at the school gate. Inspectors considered the 38 responses to the staff survey. They also spoke to a range of staff during the inspection. There were 230 responses to Ofsted’s pupil survey. In addition, inspectors spoke to many pupils

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from different year groups during the inspection.

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Inspection team

Sara Boyce, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Richard Fordham Ofsted Inspector 7 and 8 June 2023

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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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