St John's Primary and Nursery School

Inspection of St John’s Primary and Nursery School French Street, Old Town, Southampton, Hampshire SO14 2AU

p.1

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Early years provision Good Previous inspection grade Requires improvement 24 and 25 June 2025

p.1

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy and confident at this vibrant school. They demonstrate the school’s values of community, empathy and respect. For example, pupils talk about empathy as, ‘putting yourself in someone else’s shoes to understand how they feel’. Pupils are polite and respectful towards each other. They learn about different faiths and beliefs. They are taught to value and celebrate difference effectively.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff have high expectations for what pupils can achieve. In many subjects and subject areas these expectations are realised. Most pupils build their knowledge and understanding securely. Pupils, particularly disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), learn the curriculum well. The school is determined for all pupils to succeed. Staff are dedicated to meeting the needs of each pupil individually.

p.2

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils’ behaviour is positive. Staff have high expectations and clear routines in place for children from the beginning of the early years. Staff and pupils have very positive relationships. The school encourages pupils to attend school regularly. However, the school’s approach to improving attendance has not had the desired impact for a significant number of pupils. This means that some pupils do not access and learn the school’s full curriculum offer.

p.2

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

The school is ambitious for all pupils. Leaders have focused on improving the curriculum since the previous inspection to ensure that lessons reflect this ambition. Staff devise clearly sequenced lessons that connect and build on pupils’ knowledge well. For example, in history, pupils describe features of ancient Egyptian life, such as the ‘journey to the afterlife’ and processes of mummification by drawing upon their prior knowledge from lessons. Pupils take pride in their work. Many pupils arrive new to the country in key stage 2, with English as an additional language. Pupils are helped to make progress from their starting points. However, these positive achievements are not fully reflected in recent published outcomes for reading. Overall, pupils are well prepared for their next stage of their education

p.2

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

In most subjects, staff have a secure subject knowledge. Staff check pupils’ understanding and adapt the curriculum appropriately. The school identifies the needs of pupils with SEND quickly. The curriculum for pupils with SEND is well considered and draws on expertise from wider agencies, such as education psychologists. This helps provision to be personalised where needed. Lessons are designed with appropriate resources and sequences of learning that benefit pupils with SEND.

p.2

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

The school rightly prioritises the teaching of phonics to help pupils gain a strong foundation in reading. Reading books are matched closely to the sounds that pupils have learned. Pupils talk enthusiastically about the books they have read. Pupils enjoy sharing stories together from the beginning of the Nursery Year to the end of Year 6. However, in a small number of phonics sessions, staff do not consistently model sounds or support 24 and 25 June 2025

p.2

3

pupils learning to read as effectively as they could. A small proportion of pupils fall behind, and not all of them catch up with their peers as quickly as they could.

p.3

3

In the early years, children are very enthusiastic learners. They enjoy the range of writing, practical and physical activities designed for them. The school has a sharp focus on personal and social development, starting with helping pupils learn how to navigate the day successfully and play positively. The school works closely with parents and carers, for example, in the sharing of traditional stories and rhymes, such as ‘A sailor went to sea’. Children then continue to enjoy learning these with their families at home. Children are focused. They have positive attitudes to their learning and sustain their interest well.

p.3

3

Governors know and understand the school’s strengths and areas for development. They support and challenge leaders effectively. Staff appreciate how they are supported by the school to manage their workload successfully. This helps staff improve teaching and learning successfully over time. Parents are supportive of the work of the school.

p.3

3

School trips and educational visits help pupils to remember curriculum knowledge. School clubs are well attended, including football, dance, coding, choir and craft club. These help pupils to develop confidence and a sense of achievement. Pupils feel safe and secure. They know that they have trusted adults to speak to if they have any worries. Pupils behave well in lessons and around school. Any bullying and racist incidents are dealt with swiftly and taken seriously. Playtimes are positive, vibrant and full of joy. Pupils are keen to welcome all to the school. More than one pupil said to the inspectors, ‘Everyone is welcome here.’

p.3

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

p.3

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 On occasion, the school’s phonics programme is not taught with consistent clarity. When this happens, some pupils are not clear on the sounds they are learning. The school should ensure that staff have the knowledge to teach phonics and early reading consistently across the school.  The school’s work on attendance has not improved the rates of persistent absence for some pupils. These pupils do not benefit from the full range of opportunities available to them. The school should continue to work closely with families to improve attendance and ensure that pupils at increased risk of absence from school receive the support they need to attend regularly. 24 and 25 June 2025

p.3

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.

p.4

How can I feed back my views?

The Department for Education has further guidance on how to complain about a school.

p.4

Further information

You can search for published performance information about the school.

p.4

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). 24 and 25 June 2025

p.4

School details

Appropriate authority The governing body

p.5

School details

Chair of governing body Ms Jenny-Marie Court

p.5

School details

Dates of previous inspection 27 and 28 September 2022

p.5

Information about this school

 The school is part of the Southampton Cooperative Learning Trust.  The school does not use any alternative provision.

p.5

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.

p.5

Information about this inspection

 Inspections are a point-in-time evaluation about the quality of a school’s education provision.  Inspectors discussed any continued impact of the pandemic with the school and have taken that into account in their evaluation of the school. 24 and 25 June 2025

p.5

6

 The inspection team met with the headteacher, senior leaders, teachers and pupils. The lead inspector met with members of the governing body, including the chair of governors, and with a representative of the local authority.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in these subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and design, and history. For each deep dive, inspectors held discussions about the curriculum, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to some pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  To evaluate the effectiveness of safeguarding, the 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.  The inspection team observed behaviour in lessons and at breaktimes and lunchtimes.

p.6

6

They spoke formally with groups of pupils, as well as talking to pupils in lessons and around the school.  Inspectors spoke with parents at the start of the school day. They considered the views expressed in Ofsted Parent View.  Inspectors spoke with groups of staff and considered the responses to Ofsted’s staff survey.

p.6

Inspection team

Carl McCarthy, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

p.6

Inspection team

Phil Sherwood Ofsted Inspector 24 and 25 June 2025

p.6

7

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.

p.7

7

If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille, please telephone 0300 123 1231, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

p.7

7

You may reuse this information (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence, visit www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open- government-licence/ , write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: psi@nationalarchives.gsi.gov.uk .

p.7

7

Interested in our work? You can subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more information and updates: http://eepurl.com/iTrDn .

p.7

7

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

p.7