Setting

Store Street Manchester M1 2WD T 0300 123 1231 www.gov.uk/ofsted

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Nevin Deakin Acting headteacher St John’s CofE Primary School Heath Road Sandbach Cheshire CW11 2LE

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Special measures monitoring inspection of St John’s CofE Primary School

This letter sets out the findings from the monitoring inspection that took place on 26 and 27 June 2024, on behalf of His Majesty’s Chief Inspector of Education, Children’s Services and Skills. The monitoring inspection was carried out under section 8(2) of the Education Act 2005 and was the first monitoring inspection since the school was judged to require special measures following the graded (section 5) inspection that took place in December 2023.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of St John’s CofE Primary School

The purpose of a monitoring inspection is not to grade the school’s overall effectiveness, but to identify and report on the school’s progress. It is to highlight to the school and parents and carers any improvements that school leaders have made since the school’s previous graded inspection.

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Special measures monitoring inspection of St John’s CofE Primary School

During the inspection, I discussed with you, other leaders, staff, members of the interim executive board (IEB) and a representative of the local authority the actions that have been taken to improve the school since the most recent graded inspection. We discussed the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. I also visited lessons, playtimes and lunchtimes, spoke to pupils, reviewed pupils’ work and evaluated a range of documentation, including the responses to Ofsted Parent View and Ofsted’s online survey for staff. I have considered all this in coming to my judgement.

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Leaders have made progress to improve the school, but more work is

necessary for the school to be no longer judged as requiring special measures.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The interim headteacher, who was in post at the time of the December 2023 inspection, continues to lead the school. An IEB was established in February 2024. A number of support staff have left the school.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has made headway on its journey to recovery. It has established secure foundations on which to layer further improvement. Even so, the route towards the removal of special measures has not been smooth. This is because the school has had to spend a considerable amount of time untangling the long tendrils of deep-rooted weaknesses. At times, this has hampered the pace of change.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

There is a shared acceptance among staff, leaders at all levels and members of the IEB that the findings from the previous inspection were correct. Everyone is aware that there is still some distance to travel in order to provide pupils with an acceptable standard of education. However, different members of the school community are working together, with a new-found enthusiasm, to reach a common goal. Staff morale, noted as a concern in December 2023, has improved considerably. Staff have been buoyed up by the recent changes. They feel valued. While they acknowledge that their workload has increased, they appreciate the care and attention that has been given to their well-being. The staff team is united in its desire to succeed.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Improving the systems to keep pupils safe has been a key priority. This work has borne fruit. Across the school, there is a collective understanding that safeguarding pupils is everyone’s responsibility. Staff are well informed about the signs that may suggest pupils are at risk of harm. Concerns are reported quickly and acted on swiftly. External support and advice are frequently sought to make sure that pupils and their families receive the help that they need. Different groups of pupils said that they feel safe. They trust the adults in school to listen to their worries and act in their best interests. As a result, safeguarding is effective.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Reversing the poor behaviour that was commonplace in the school has taken time and effort. However, the new approach to helping pupils make the right choice is proving successful. Classrooms are typically calm so that pupils’ learning is not disturbed. Pupils mostly behave sensibly during social times. They enjoy purchasing a snack and spending time with their friends or members of their family in the extensive and well-resourced playground. Pupils agree that behaviour has improved. While they said that it is not as good as it could be, they have noticed that school is a happier place to be.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Some pupils who find managing their behaviour difficult are receiving the support that they need to help them navigate their emotions. However, some other pupils have realised that the threat of exhibiting challenging behaviour enables them to escape the work that has been set. Some staff are too ready to placate these pupils, rather than finding ways to help them calm down and get on with the task at hand. As a result, the gaps in pupils’ learning widen. Many pupils are compliant in lessons, but they do not display any real enthusiasm for learning. Some pupils quietly opt out of discussions or find ways to avoid putting pen to paper. Some staff do not do enough to foster positive attitudes to learning.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has begun to look at the reasons for pupils’ absence more closely. This is leading to a more individualised approach to supporting parents and carers to make sure that pupils attend school regularly. This has made a difference to some pupils. Even so, attendance rates remain low compared to the national average, and many pupils continue to miss large chunks of time away from school. This has a negative impact on their achievement.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has strengthened some aspects of the curriculum. For example, the phonics programme is delivered consistently well. This ensures that pupils are fluent and confident readers by the end of Year 2. However, this is less assured for pupils in key stage 2. The current approach to expanding pupils’ reading knowledge does not build well enough on the strong start that they gain in key stage 1. The mathematics curriculum is also well established. This is helping pupils to build their mathematical knowledge securely over time. A focus on basic skills, especially in the early years and key stage 1, means that pupils are recording their work legibly and accurately. As a result, pupils are better prepared for key stage 2 than has been the case in the past. However, recent improvements are not having the same impact on older pupils. Many of these pupils have wide gaps in their knowledge that have not been identified or addressed well enough.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

This hinders their ability to learn successfully. These pupils have a considerable amount of ground to cover to ensure that they are ready for the next stage of their education.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Weaknesses in other subject curriculums persist. A lack of curriculum guidance, along with teachers’ underdeveloped subject knowledge, means that pupils’ learning in many subjects is varied at best but often poor. While some pupils enjoy a better experience in some classes and in some subjects, their gains in knowledge are not built on well enough as they progress through the school. At times, older pupils produce work that is of a much weaker standard than that produced by their peers in key stage 1. Teachers do not expect enough of pupils in these subjects. The tasks that pupils complete link to topic themes but do little to help pupils know and remember more.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The identification of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) has improved. Greater use is being made of external agencies to make sure that pupils receive the support that they need. The newly established Sunshine Room is helping some pupils with SEND to achieve the small steps that are outlined in their education, health and care plans. However, the support that pupils with SEND receive in other classes is more varied. Some staff take the initiative and respond well to pupils’ needs. Others do not.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

Pupils appreciate all that the school has done to enhance the provision for their personal development. They spoke warmly about the different clubs that they attend and the trips and visits that are building their understanding of the world beyond the school gates. Pupils are beginning to gain a broader appreciation of, and respect for, the differences between the faiths, cultures and communities that exist within their school and modern society.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The IEB has stood shoulder to shoulder with the school to strengthen its capacity to improve. Members of the IEB have worked in partnership with the school to overcome the barriers that have got in the way of moving forward. The IEB has also worked productively with the school to keep parents well informed about the changes that have taken place since the previous inspection. The IEB keeps a close eye on the school’s progress, but it is hindered in keeping track of the impact of some of the planned actions. This is because the improvement plan lacks sufficient clarity.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

The school has embraced the extensive support provided by the local authority. This support has influenced almost every aspect of change within the school. For example, the school has used the guidance from local authority officers to bring about positive changes to safeguarding procedures and to begin to build expertise among subject leaders.

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The progress made towards the removal of special measures

I am copying this letter to the chair of the IEB, the director of education for the Diocese of Chester, the Department for Education’s regional director and the director of children’s services for Cheshire East. This letter will be published on the Ofsted reports website.

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