St John's CofE Primary School

Inspection of a good school: St John’s CofE Primary School Vale Road, Colwick, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire NG4 2ED

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Inspection dates: 30 April and 1 May 2024

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Outcome

St John’s CofE Primary School continues to be a good school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

A strong ethos based on Christian values is central to this school. The school is guided in all actions by its vision: ‘Life In All Its Fullness’. The school is dedicated to serving its pupils, their families and the wider community. Parents often thank the school for its kindness and support.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils work well with each other. They are proud of their work. Pupils say that the educational visits the school organises help them to remember what has been taught in school.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school is a place where everyone gets along and trusts each other. If pupils are ever worried, they know they can talk to an adult. The school deals with bullying quickly, so pupils feel happy and safe.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils have many clubs to choose from, including football, cookery and clay creators club. One pupil said: ‘There is a club for everyone at St John’s. It is a fun place to be.’ Pupils learn to look after the environment in their forest school and geography lessons. They learn to be responsible by becoming a school councillor, a sports leader or a collective worship leader.

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

The school has designed a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils. In most subjects, the school has identified the important knowledge pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it. This well-sequenced curriculum begins in the early years. In subjects that set out precisely what pupils should learn, pupils build on their knowledge. For example, younger children remember why bees are important to the environment. Older pupils demonstrate improving skills in physical education, focusing on techniques to enhance their performance in athletics. However, in a small number of subjects, the curriculum does not precisely set out all the important knowledge that pupils 30 April and 1 May 2024

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should learn. In these subjects, some staff do not have secure subject knowledge. They have not received professional development to help them improve their practice. This means that pupils do not always receive the help they need to develop their knowledge.

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Reading is the number one priority in the school. Children in the Reception class begin to learn to read as soon as they start school. The school wants all pupils to love reading. Pupils do. One pupil said, ‘I am never more happy than when I am reading.’ Every day, pupils benefit from listening to teachers read books they enjoy. The school has provided staff with training about how to teach early reading. It has helped them become experts in teaching pupils how to read. The school ensures that staff give extra help to any pupil who may need it. This helps pupils to become fluent readers.

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Children in the early years experience established routines from when they start school. Staff help pupils develop their reading and communication skills. They introduce new words for children to use in their speech. Children develop a strong understanding of mathematics, for example when counting bees in the garden centre in their classroom.

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Pupils say they love mathematics. The school has carefully set out the order in which pupils learn new knowledge. Teachers expect pupils to explain their thinking. This helps pupils improve their mathematical reasoning skills. The school ensures that pupils revisit concepts they have already been taught. This helps them remember their learning. Teachers carefully check what pupils remember. They plan extra mathematics lessons if pupils’ knowledge is not secure.

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Pupils with SEND are supported well. Staff promptly and accurately identify pupils’ needs. They have been given training so that they can adjust lessons to meet the needs of individual pupils. This means that pupils with SEND learn the curriculum alongside their peers.

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There are many opportunities for pupils to learn about their local community and the wider world. Pupils have a good understanding of fundamental British values and equality. They know why these values are important. One pupil said: ‘We always respect each other. Being different is just not a problem.’ The school has taught pupils how to stay safe, including when online.

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The school has high expectations for pupils’ behaviour. Most pupils behave well. There are systems in place to support pupils with their behaviour. During social times, pupils play respectfully together with pupils of different ages. Pupils attend school well. They know why it is important to attend school. Pupils said they are happy to come to school.

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Governors understand their role well. They monitor the progress the school is making. They carefully check the well-being of staff. Staff say they appreciate the consideration that is given to their workload.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 In a small number of foundation subjects, the curriculum does not precisely set out all the important knowledge that pupils should learn. In these subjects, some staff do not have secure subject knowledge. As a result, pupils do not build their knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that the curriculum in all subjects precisely sets out all the important knowledge that pupils should learn, and that staff have the subject knowledge they need to help pupils build on their knowledge.  In some subjects, the school has not checked how well the curriculum is being taught. As a result, the school is not providing precise guidance on how to improve the teaching in these subjects. The school should ensure that effective checks are made to identify areas for development so that teachers can be helped to improve their practice.

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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 May 2015.

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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. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 30 April and 1 May 2024

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School details

Local authority Nottinghamshire County Council

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School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

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School details

Date of previous inspection 26 February 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The headteacher took up their post in January 2020.  The school does not use any alternative provision.  St John’s CofE Primary School is a Church of England school with a Christian ethos. It received its Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools in January 2019.

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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 their evaluation of the school.  The inspector met with the headteacher and the deputy headteacher and with subject leaders. The inspector met the chair of governors.  The inspector carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics and physical education. For the deep dives, the inspector discussed the curriculum with subject leaders, visited lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to pupils and looked at samples of pupils’ work. 30 April and 1 May 2024

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 The inspector looked at a range of other subjects, including history, geography and design and technology. The inspector reviewed curriculum planning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  The inspector met formally with groups of pupils to talk about the quality of education and other aspects of school life. The inspector spoke with staff and pupils informally.  The inspector met with the special educational needs and disabilities coordinator to review the provision for pupils with SEND.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the inspector: reviewed the single central record; took account of the views of leaders, staff and pupils; reviewed safeguarding records; and considered the extent to which the school has created an open and positive culture of safeguarding that puts pupils’ interests first.  The inspector reviewed a range of documentation. The inspector looked at the school’s website and published information about the school’s provision and policies.

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 The inspector considered the views of parents who completed the Ofsted survey, Ofsted Parent View, including free-text responses and correspondence received during the inspection. The inspector reviewed responses to Ofsted’s survey for school staff.

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Inspection team

Martin Fitzwilliam, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 30 April and 1 May 2024

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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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