Southam St James CofE Academy

Inspection of Southam St James CofE Academy Tollgate Road, Southam, Warwickshire CV47 1EE

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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 Requires improvement

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The headteacher of this school is Miss Laura Richards. This school is part of the Diocese of Coventry Multi 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), Michael Cowland, and overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Barry Cockcroft. 15 and 16 July 2025

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What is it like to attend this school?

St James is a school where everybody feels included. The school’s ‘shine values’ support pupils to be kind and nurturing towards each other. Staff and pupils develop warm relationships.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils typically behave well. Their behaviour has improved since the last inspection. The school’s clear expectations of behaviour help pupils to stay focused on their learning. Pupils understand how to keep themselves safe and know that if they have any worries, staff will help and support them.

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What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils develop a sense of responsibility through roles, such as becoming house captains or a member of the pupil council. Older pupils are positive role models for younger children, supporting them in their learning. Pupils are active members of the community through events, such as helping the local parish church or singing in the local care home. Pupils visit a wide range of different places linked to their learning. Such experiences help pupils to gain a deeper understanding of life outside of their community.

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What is it like to attend this school?

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum. However, the school has not ensured that the curriculum is delivered as intended. This means that pupils do not achieve as well as they could in some aspects of their learning.

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

Since the last inspection, the school, with the support of the trust, has taken action to improve the quality of education that it provides. Staff are motivated and feel valued. However, there are inconsistencies in how well the curriculum is being delivered. As a result, in some subjects, pupils struggle to know and remember more over time.

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

The school has recently revised the curriculum in many subjects. The curriculum sets out the important knowledge that pupils should learn from the early years through to Year 6. This is helping staff to design new learning based on what pupils already know. However, sometimes staff do not check pupils’ understanding effectively. This means that misconceptions can occur that are not addressed, and pupils continue to make the same mistakes.

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

The school has introduced a new writing curriculum. This focuses on developing important early writing skills. In the early years, children develop their fine motor skills and are supported to form letters correctly. However, for other pupils, the school’s expectations about handwriting and recording carefully are not high enough. This hinders pupils’ writing fluency and the accuracy of mathematical calculations.

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

The school prioritises reading. Children learn to read as soon as they start school. Staff teach phonics effectively. Typically, books are matched to children’s phonics knowledge. This supports most to become confident, fluent readers by the time they reach key stage 2. Local author visits inspire pupils to read and expand the genres they choose. Pupils visit the local library and participate in reading-based activities and competitions. 15 and 16 July 2025

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The school has worked with parents and carers to address some of the concerns raised at the previous inspection. Parents now have the opportunity to visit school and to learn how their children are being supported with their learning. However, some parents feel that their concerns about their children’s education are not addressed as well as they could be.

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Children in the early years are eager to attend school. They form warm relationships with key adults, which supports children to feel safe and happy. The development of children’s language and communication is prioritised. Children learn new words and meanings through rich conversations during daily story time. Children settle quickly because of established routines; they know what is expected of them and how to do things.

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Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are involved in all aspects of school life. Their needs are increasingly being identified early, and effective plans are put in place. The school works closely with external agencies to best support pupils. Increasingly, staff make the necessary adaptations to learning to allow pupils with SEND to make progress and achieve well.

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The school has worked effectively to improve pupils’ attendance. Its efforts to support pupils who experience difficulties attending school have paid dividends. The number of pupils persistently absent has reduced significantly. More pupils are now in school more often, which means they do not fall behind with their learning.

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Pupils benefit from a range of experiences that support their personal development. They learn and understand what makes a healthy relationship. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe, including online. They are taught how to become good citizens, including through carefully selected texts. For example, they study poems about the Windrush generation, helping pupils to understand issues, such as discrimination.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

 The school has not ensured that teachers have a consistently effective approach to delivering the revised curriculum. This limits pupils’ achievement in some subjects. The school should ensure that teachers deliver the intended curriculum, so that pupils build on their prior learning and make connections between what they have been taught.  The school does not check pupils’ understanding effectively. This means that pupils’ misconceptions in learning are not picked up and addressed swiftly. The school should 15 and 16 July 2025

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ensure that staff check that pupils have a secure understanding of what they have been taught so that they are ready for the next stage of their learning.  The school’s expectations about pupils’ handwriting and accuracy in recording are not sufficiently high. This reduces pupils’ ability to write fluently and record mathematical calculations accurately. The school should raise expectations about the quality of pupils’ writing and ensure accurate recording in mathematics.  Some parents lack confidence in the school’s ability to deal with issues that they raise. They feel that their concerns about their children’s education are not fully addressed. The school should extend its work with parents to help them better understand how their concerns are dealt with.

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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). 15 and 16 July 2025

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School details

Dates of previous inspection 25 and 26 January 2023, under section 5 of the Education Act 2005

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Information about this school

 The school has been part of the Diocese of Coventry Multi Academy Trust since 2018.  The school does not use any alternative provision for pupils.  The school’s last section 48 inspection was in March 2025.

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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. 15 and 16 July 2025

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 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.  Inspectors held meetings with the headteacher, early years leader, SEND coordinator and other subject leaders.  The lead inspector met with the chair of trustees. She also met with the director of education, the chief executive officer and the chair of the local governing body.  The lead inspector met with the school improvement advisor for the school.  Inspectors carried out deep dives in the following subjects: early reading, mathematics, art and history. For most deep dives, inspectors met with subject leaders, visited a sample of lessons, spoke to teachers, spoke to groups of pupils about their learning and looked at samples of pupils’ work.  Inspectors also considered evidence from other subjects, including science and English,

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including writing in early years.  Inspectors observed pupils’ behaviour in lessons and at social times. Inspectors spoke to pupils throughout the inspection and held meetings with groups of pupils.  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.  Inspectors considered responses to the online survey, Ofsted Parent View, including parents’ free-text responses. They met with parents in person at the school gates.  Inspectors considered responses to the Ofsted surveys for school staff and pupils.

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Inspection team

Vicki Jordan, lead inspector His Majesty’s Inspector

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Inspection team

Pamela Matty Ofsted Inspector 15 and 16 July 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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