St John's Church of England Primary School

Inspection of St John’s Church of England Primary School Maple Road, Penge, London SE20 8HU

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Inspection dates: 17 and 18 December 2024

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The quality of education Requires improvement Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Requires improvement Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Good

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The headteacher of this school is Lynda Doel. This school is part of the Aquinas Church of England Education Trust Limited, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), Kathy Griffiths, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Giles Lambert. 17 and 18 December 2024

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and find it easy to make friends at this kind and welcoming school. Staff keep pupils safe. The school is calm and orderly. Leaders have high expectations for pupils’ behaviour, and as a result, pupils behave well and try their best in their learning. Pupils are caring towards each other. Staff deal quickly with any concerns. Adults provide pupils with lots of support and guidance to promote their well-being.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has a clear vision for providing pupils with a range of enrichment opportunities to broaden their cultural capital. This includes visits to the theatre, places of worship and art galleries. This helps pupils to build their wider understanding of the world around them. Pupils enjoy the range of clubs on offer.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school focuses on ensuring that children get the best possible start in the early years. Children in Reception show enjoyment and independence in lessons. The curriculum develops their learning well, and this is supported by a stimulating and attractive learning environment. The quality of education in the rest of the school is not as strong. The school has started to make improvements. However, some pupils do not receive teaching that ensures that they learn well in all subjects. This limits how well some pupils achieve.

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

The school has put in place a curriculum with clear end goals in all subjects. It has considered how the curriculum supports a clear progression in what pupils learn over time. Staff understand the school’s continued focus on improving what pupils learn and have received training to improve their subject knowledge. However, the school’s work has not had its desired impact in Years 1 to 6. Teaching is sometimes inaccurate and, occasionally, does not present learning clearly enough. This means that pupils’ understanding is not consistently strong and misconceptions are not addressed. Sometimes, pupils progress to studying new content, but teaching has not checked sufficiently that they are ready to do so.

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

The school places emphasis on developing pupils’ language, communication and vocabulary. This begins well in the early years. Across the school, teachers provide regular opportunities for pupils to explore new vocabulary. However, teaching does not routinely support pupils’ understanding of subject-specific vocabulary well enough. Some pupils do not receive the additional support that they need in understanding the meaning of words that they learn, read or use. As a result, pupils’ knowledge of key vocabulary is not secure in all subjects. This holds them back from grasping subject content and, in turn, from progressing through the curriculum.

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

The school prioritises reading. Leaders train staff to deliver the phonics programme in a consistent way. Children start to develop a love for reading from the time they join in Reception. Pupils describe their favourite books and enjoy reading. Staff recap and rehearse the sounds that pupils learn. When required, teaching provides timely support for pupils who need to catch up with their reading and build their confidence. Pupils show 17 and 18 December 2024

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resilience when using their knowledge to read unfamiliar words. Many pupils read with fluency and expression.

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The school ensures that pupils learn mathematical concepts methodically. Pupils benefit from practising what they know in mathematics. They access appropriate resources to support their understanding. Children’s mathematical understanding thrives in the early years setting, both inside the classroom and outdoors. For example, children enjoy using resources such as green bottles to practise sorting numbers and counting from zero to 10.

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The school works effectively to identify the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff work closely with external agencies to ensure that pupils get the support that they need. This includes pupils with SEND. Staff are supported effectively in strengthening their understanding of how to ensure that teaching meets the needs of different pupils in lessons. Leaders also consider pupils’ needs when adapting their curriculum thinking.

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Pupils enjoy learning and want to do their best. They show positive attitudes to learning. Pupils respond quickly to the instructions given by adults. They know and follow routines. Pupils are polite and courteous. They know right from wrong. Children in early years settle quickly. This is because adults have developed strong relationships with them. These positive interactions continue as pupils move through the school. Pupils play well together.

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The school encourages pupils to take on roles and responsibilities. Pupils make a positive contribution to the life of the school, including as school councillors, scholars and pilots. In assemblies and class discussions, pupils explore a range of social and moral issues. They understand the importance of respecting others’ views and opinions. They speak confidently about their own beliefs. Pupils use many strategies to manage their feelings and emotions. For example, they learn how breathing ‘calms you down and helps you focus on other things’.

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The board of trustees has ensured that support for leadership and curriculum development has been put in place. That said, some aspects of leadership and its oversight of the curriculum are at an early stage of development. This has reduced the effectiveness of the school’s work to ensure that the curriculum is consistently taught in a way that enables pupils to learn well. The trust recognises that further support will be needed to ensure greater consistency in how the curriculum is taught and led. Those responsible for governance work closely with school leaders to ensure that they consider and take appropriate actions. Staff feel well supported and valued.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. 17 and 18 December 2024

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that teaching in all subjects enables pupils to have a secure understanding of the important vocabulary that is needed to achieve well. This leads to some pupils not developing their knowledge and understanding in some subjects. The school should make sure that teaching enables pupils to develop a secure understanding of subject-specific vocabulary across all subjects and, in turn, successfully learn and remember key concepts and ideas.  Sometimes, in Years 1 to 6, teaching does not ensure that subject content is presented clearly and accurately. As a result, some pupils are unclear about what they are learning, need to learn or do. Some persist with learning with misconceptions being in place. This prevents them from learning and achieving well. Leaders should make sure that teaching presents information clearly and accurately so that pupils build and secure their understanding.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 Sometimes, teaching does not check pupils’ understanding carefully enough in Years 1 to 6. Consequently, some pupils are not secure in their understanding before teaching moves on to new subject content. The school should ensure that teaching consistently checks pupils’ understanding and addresses misconceptions so that pupils are fully prepared for future learning.  In some subjects, leadership’s oversight of the curriculum is at an early stage of development. This has limited the school’s work to secure and embed changes to curriculum implementation. The school should continue to develop its curriculum and leadership expertise so that the intended curriculum is delivered consistently and securely in all subjects.

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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.

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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, 17 and 18 December 2024

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looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 17 and 18 December 2024

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 3 and 4 July 2019, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005.

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Information about this school

 The school makes use of one 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. During a graded inspection, we grade the school for each of our key judgements (quality of education; behaviour and attitudes; personal development; and leadership and management) and for any relevant provision judgement (early years and/or sixth form provision). Schools receiving a graded inspection from September 2024 will not be given an overall effectiveness grade.

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Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  This was the first routine inspection the school received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Inspectors discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 17 and 18 December 2024

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 Inspectors met with the headteacher, the CEO, members of the board of trustees and advisory council, senior leaders and a range of staff.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in reading, mathematics, music and computing. For each deep dive, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, met with teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and considered pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, inspectors: 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.  Inspectors considered the views of parents, pupils and staff, including through Ofsted’s online surveys.

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Inspection team

Lascelles Haughton, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Nneoma Thomas Ofsted Inspector 17 and 18 December 2024

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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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