St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School

Inspection of a good school: St John’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School Fieldhead, Golcar, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire HD7 4QQ

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Inspection dates: 23 and 24 November 2023

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Outcome

St John’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Junior and Infant School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy learning and playing at this caring and happy school. Whole-school welcoming events in September contribute to making pupils feel confident about starting in their new classes. They remind themselves and others: ‘You are awesome, so be awesome!’

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy attending the wide range of activities provided by the school outside of lessons. They take part in a variety of sporting events with pupils from other schools across the Colne Valley. Many pupils sing in the highly regarded school choir. Pupils take leadership responsibilities seriously, including representing their year group on the school council.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils appreciate that staff make learning interesting and enjoyable. They know that the school expects them to work hard and reach their full potential. Pupils respond positively to these expectations and achieve well in most subjects.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school’s values of love, honesty, forgiveness, respect and friendship are evident in how pupils treat each other and adults. From the start of Reception, children learn how to follow instructions, listen, share and take turns. This very positive behaviour in lessons and at social times continues as they move up the school.

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

The school has devised an ambitious curriculum, including for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The curriculum considers the characteristics of the pupils and the rich heritage of the local area. In all subjects, learning builds effectively from the start of Reception to the end of Year 6. The school has identified the vocabulary pupils must know and use in each subject. In most subjects, teachers ensure School 23 and 24 November 2023

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that pupils use this vocabulary well to describe and evaluate their learning. However, in a small number of subjects, pupils do not know or use important subject-specific vocabulary. This limits their ability to improve their work.

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The school provides teachers with regular training in the subjects that they teach. Teachers’ subject knowledge contributes to their confidence and effectiveness in implementing the curriculum. They use the school’s high-quality resources well to make explanations clear and to model how pupils should go about their work.

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Teachers check on pupils’ learning regularly. In most subjects, they use this information well to identify and address gaps in knowledge. However, in a small number of subjects, teachers do not use the information that they gather well enough to adapt future teaching to best effect.

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The school prioritises reading. Children begin to learn to read from the start of Reception. Staff provide pupils with a wide variety of books that match their reading stage. Staff ensure that almost all pupils, including those with SEND, keep up. They give the small number who fall behind the help that they need to catch up with their peers. Staff skilfully make sure that pupils become very fluent, accurate and enthusiastic readers by the end of Year 2. The emphasis on reading continues into key stage 2. Pupils enjoy reading a wide variety of texts for pleasure and to develop their reading skills further.

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The school works effectively to ensure that pupils with SEND benefit fully from every aspect of school life. Staff identify the needs of these pupils quickly. Staff, including skilled teaching assistants, make sure that pupils with SEND enjoy their learning and make good progress.

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Relationships among pupils and between pupils and adults are positive. They are based on mutual respect. Pupils behave impeccably in lessons and at social times. This positive behaviour, alongside the very good attendance of all groups, contributes to the successful implementation of the curriculum.

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The school gives pupils many opportunities to enhance their cultural awareness, including through the curriculum and educational visits. Pupils celebrate difference, including in race and religion. They keenly organise fundraising for local and global causes. They proudly wear badges that indicate leadership responsibilities, such as being a ‘helping hero’, who supports those who may feel vulnerable.

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Staff feel that leaders value their hard work. Staff are confident that, when making changes, the school considers the impact on their workload and well-being. The school engages well with parents and carers, including by organising regular stay-and-play sessions for all year groups. Skilled and experienced governors know the school well and contribute strongly to its development.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. School 23 and 24 November 2023

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of subjects, teachers do not ensure that pupils know and use important subject-specific vocabulary. As a result, pupils struggle to explain, evaluate and improve their work. The school should ensure that, in all subjects, pupils know, understand and use the vocabulary that is essential for successful learning.  In some foundation subjects, teachers do not use their checks on what pupils know and remember well enough to identify next steps in learning. The school should make sure that, in all subjects, teachers use assessment information effectively to address gaps in knowledge.

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Background

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

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Background

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in December 2013.

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How can I feed back my views?

find out what other parents 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' is used to mean pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND); pupils who meet the definition of children in need of help and protection ; pupils receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker; and pupils who otherwise meet the criteria used for deciding the school’s pupil premium funding (this includes pupils claiming free school meals at any point in the last six years, School 23 and 24 November 2023

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). School 23 and 24 November 2023

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provision

Appropriate authority The governing body

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provision

Date of previous inspection 4 October 2018, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has a religious character. It is part of the Diocese of Leeds. The last Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools was in July 2019. The next is expected in 2024.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time judgement about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school.  The inspector conducted deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics and art. For each deep dive, she discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and School 23 and 24 November 2023

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looked at samples of pupils’ work. She also looked at pupils’ work in a number of other foundation subjects. She listened to pupils read to a familiar adult.  The inspector met with the headteacher and members of the senior leadership team. She also met with a cross-section of staff.  The inspector met with governors, a local authority adviser to the school and a representative of the Diocese of Leeds.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture around safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector spoke with pupils in meetings and around the school.  The inspector considered responses to Ofsted Parent View, the staff questionnaire and the pupil questionnaire.

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Inspection team

Liz Kelly, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector School 23 and 24 November 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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