Mexborough St John the Baptist CofE Primary School

Inspection of a school judged good for overall effectiveness before September 2024: Mexborough St John the Baptist CofE Primary School Sedgefield Way, Mexborough, South Yorkshire S64 0BE

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Inspection dates: 14 and 15 January 2025

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Outcome

Mexborough St John the Baptist CofE Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

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Outcome

The headteacher of this school is Rachel Idell. This school is part of the James Montgomery Academy Trust, which means other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is run by the chief executive officer (CEO), David Silvester, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Dr Richard Punshon.

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What is it like to attend this school?

This is a welcoming and nurturing school. Pupils live the school values of hope, honesty, stewardship, forgiveness and respect. Pupils enjoy coming to school and attend well. They feel safe and know that all adults in the school will help them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils experience a wide variety of trips, experiences and visitors. The school is determined to raise pupils’ aspirations. Careers fairs give pupils information on a range of jobs. Pupils play musical instruments and enjoy many after-school clubs, including cooking, art and science. These develop pupils’ confidence and interests.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations for pupils. They work hard and achieve well at the end of key stage 2.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Staff help pupils to make the right choices about their own behaviour. Pupils behave well. Low-level disruption rarely affects learning.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils learn about different faiths, cultures and families. They are accepting of those who live differently to themselves. Pupils take on a range of leadership roles. They become eco warriors, school councillors, librarians and worship councillors. They take these roles seriously and know that they have an impact in the school. 14 and 15 January 2025

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

The well-trained teachers have strong subject knowledge. The school has an established curriculum. Children in the Nursery and Reception classes have a positive start to school life. The early years setting is an exciting and pleasant place to play and learn. The school has recently adapted the early years curriculum to give staff more time to interact with children. Staff use effective questioning to deepen children’s understanding. New words are introduced frequently so that children quickly develop a wide vocabulary. Children gain confidence and settle quickly. Writing of letters, words and numbers is a key focus in areas of provision. This has a positive impact in mathematics books across the school, where numbers are almost always formed correctly.

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

In some subjects, such as music and Spanish, pupils benefit from specialist teaching. In other subjects, such as history and geography, the school has identified the key knowledge it wants pupils to learn. The curriculum is sequenced carefully from early years to Year 6. Pupils recall previous learning and build on their knowledge. Pupils learn to read well. Staff are skilled at teaching phonics. They deliver lessons with consistency and enthusiasm. In reading lessons across school, there is a sharp focus on pupils retrieving information and understanding what they have read. Pupils achieve well in reading in national assessments at the end of key stage 2. The mathematics curriculum is progressive, and pupils build on previous knowledge.

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

The writing curriculum follows a clear process. Pupils build up to writing and plan carefully before writing independently. However, pupils do not present their work to a high standard. Handwriting is often inconsistent. Errors in spelling and letter formation are not corrected. In too many books across school, work presented is not of the standard that pupils are capable of achieving.

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

The school quickly identifies pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils with SEND play a full part in the life of the school. They attend clubs and trips and hold leadership roles in school. In lessons, pupils with SEND work alongside their peers thanks to adaptations to the curriculum. Occasionally, these adaptations are not sufficient to enable some pupils with SEND to access learning independently. This means that some pupils with SEND do not learn as well as they should.

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

The school’s provision for pupils’ personal development is carefully planned. There is a focus on pupils’ mental health and well-being. Weekly lessons teach pupils breathing techniques and information about the brain. This helps pupils to make decisions about how to react in everyday situations. Pupils take part in regular assemblies, where they learn about fundamental British values and listen to stories linked to the school’s values. They know how to stay safe, both online and when out of school. The school purposefully ensures that pupils are ready for life in modern Britain.

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

The trust and governors have an ambitious vision for the school. Leaders at all levels have an accurate understanding of the school’s strengths and what needs to be better. They have a clear strategy to ensure the school continues to move forward. After a period of 14 and 15 January 2025

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change, leadership at the school is now stable and well placed to improve things further. Staff are supportive of the school vision. They are proud to work at the school.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school does not teach handwriting consistently. This means that pupils repeat errors in presentation, spelling and transcription. The school should work with teachers to ensure that all staff share the same high expectations so that all pupils’ work reflects what they are able to achieve.  Occasionally, teachers do not adapt the curriculum sufficiently for pupils with SEND. When this happens, some pupils with SEND do not learn as much as they could and are unable to work without adult support. The school should ensure that all staff are able to confidently adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of these pupils so that they can achieve well and develop independence.

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Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted’s website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade. This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

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Background

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. 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’s work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection 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 for overall effectiveness in March 2013. 14 and 15 January 2025

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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, looked after children (children in local authority care) and/or children who left care through adoption or another formal route). 14 and 15 January 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 2 and 3 October 2019, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of the James Montgomery Academy Trust since December 2016.  The headteacher was appointed in September 2024.  The school makes use of one registered alternative provision.  The school is a Church of England school with the Diocese of Sheffield. The last section 48 inspection was in June 2023.

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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. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the school and has taken that into account in her evaluation of the school. 14 and 15 January 2025

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 The inspector met with the headteacher, members of the governing body, the CEO and other school and trust leaders.  The inspector visited a sample of lessons, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  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 took account of responses to the online survey for parents, Ofsted Parent View. She also considered responses to Ofsted’s pupil and staff surveys.

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Inspection team

Helen Haunch, lead inspector Ofsted Inspector 14 and 15 January 2025

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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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