Schools & FE · Report card

Sherborne St John Church of England Primary School

Inspected 6 May 2026 · published 30 Jun 2026 · URN 116315

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Summary

No overall grade in this frameworkSafeguarding met

Stuart Bevan (lead), Sarah Martin

What we read, and from where

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Achievement verified
Expected standard
Attendance and behaviour verified
Expected standard
Curriculum and teaching verified
Needs attention
Early years verified
Expected standard
Inclusion verified
Expected standard
Leadership and governance verified
Expected standard
Personal development and wellbeing verified
Expected standard
Framework verified
Report card
Inspection datesingle source
6 May 2026
Inspectors verified
Sarah Martin, Stuart Bevan
Postcode verified
RG24 9HT
Name on report verified
Sherborne St John Church of England Primary
Safeguarding verified
Met
URN verified
116315

Page 1 of 16

Deep dive

What this report says

In plain English

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Grade profile

Each judgement on its scale, weakest to strongest.

AchievementExpected
Attendance and behaviourExpected
Curriculum and teachingNeeds attention
Early yearsExpected
InclusionExpected
Leadership and governanceExpected
Personal development and wellbeingExpected

Tone of the report

How positive or critical the inspectors' language is, from the words they chose. No AI involved.

+54Positivemore positive than 24% of reports of this type

In line with other reports of this type.

Praisepositivefeel safewell preparedhigh-qualityconfidentclearconsistentlyrespectful

Criticismconcernsnot consistentlyerrorsweaknessesnot alwaysfall behindgapsnot effectively

How the report reads, start to finish

Every paragraph in order, sized by length. Tap one to see it on the page.

FindingsSafeguardingAbout the inspectionLeadershipWhat needs to improve positive critical

Findings1537w+50
Leadership150w+75
Safeguarding51w−11
What needs to improve113w+56

Strengths

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Concerns

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Next steps

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What the report dwells on

Topics by how often they come up, coloured by how they are described. Open one for an example.

Leadership & governance31
“Leaders understand that high-quality, inclusive teaching is at the heart of effective inclusion.” p.3
Curriculum18
“As a result, errors in pupils’ transcription skills are not always addressed quickly enough across the curriculum.” p.4
Teaching & assessment12
“Leaders understand that high-quality, inclusive teaching is at the heart of effective inclusion.” p.3
Progress & outcomes10
“They maintain high expectations for what pupils can achieve and promote a positive culture built on respectful relationships.” p.3
SEND & inclusion9
“Leaders understand that high-quality, inclusive teaching is at the heart of effective inclusion.” p.3
Parents & families9
“Leaders’ monitoring and positive relationships with families help to sustain this.” p.2
Behaviour8
“Children’s wellbeing is supported through positive relationships and effective care routines.” p.3
Reading & phonics7
“Books are well matched to pupils’ reading knowledge, and pupils benefit from high-quality texts.” p.5

Anatomy of the report

How the report is built, against others of the same type and grade.

Pages: 16
Words of findings: 1,851; about usual (typical 1698)
Reading level: Hard; Flesch 43, typical 43
Average sentence: 15 words
Next steps: 4; typical 3
Hedged sentences: 10%; “some”, “not always”, “most”…

Where the words go

Findings 53%Leadership 5%Safeguarding 2%What needs to improve 4%About the inspection 36%

Full report text

School

Address: Church Lane, Sherborne St John, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 9HT Unique reference number (URN): 116315

p.1

Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, pupils are made safer and feel safe.

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect schools for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

p.1

How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The school has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. All legal requirements are met. Not met: The school has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

p.1

Achievement Expected standard

Pupils achieve well overall. In early reading, most pupils meet the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check. As a result, pupils develop accuracy and fluency in reading and are well prepared to access the wider curriculum by the end of key stage 1.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Most pupils achieve well, particularly in reading and mathematics. Published outcomes at the end of key stage 2 are typically close to, or above, national averages. Leaders are working to increase the number of pupils who exceed these standards. They have identified handwriting and transcription as areas that limit some pupils’ achievement in writing and are taking appropriate action to address this.

p.2

Achievement Expected standard

Across the curriculum, pupils can generally recall important knowledge and apply it in their work. In most subjects, the work that pupils produce reflects the knowledge and skills they have learned. Disadvantaged pupils make progress from their starting points. Most pupils are well prepared for their next stage of education.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils attend school regularly. Attendance is consistently above national figures for all groups, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. Leaders carefully analyse attendance information to identify patterns and barriers. They use this information to put in place individual and proportionate strategies to support pupils and families and prevent pupils from frequently missing school. Leaders’ monitoring and positive relationships with families help to sustain this.

p.2

Attendance and behaviour Expected standard

Pupils behave well in lessons and around the school. They demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and engage well in their work. When pupils are less engaged, this is linked to the suitability of the task. Staff model and reinforce clear expectations, which helps classrooms to remain calm and purposeful. Pupils are polite, respectful towards others and work well with their peers. They form constructive relationships with staff. Pupils feel safe in school and know who to speak to if they have any worries or concerns. Pupils who need additional help to manage their behaviour receive tailored support. Where necessary, leaders work with external agencies so that pupils receive the support they need.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

Children in the early years get off to a positive start. They are happy, feel safe and are well cared for. Staff know children and their families well and establish clear routines that help children to settle quickly. Leaders prioritise the early years and have an accurate understanding of the provision.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

The curriculum identifies the essential knowledge and skills children need for later learning. There is a clear focus on communication and language, early reading and mathematics. Teaching supports children to learn the intended knowledge and skills. Staff balance support with encouraging children to develop independence and confidence. Staff interactions and planned activities help children to develop their vocabulary. Reading is prioritised, and children begin learning systematic synthetic phonics from the start. However, at times, the outdoor environment is not used effectively to support learning.

p.2

Early years Expected standard

Staff use assessment to inform planning and the deployment of adults. Most children make suitable progress from their starting points and are well prepared for Year 1. Staff share gaps in learning with Year 1 staff so that targeted support can be put in place.

p.3

Early years Expected standard

Staff identify barriers and adapt provision to support disadvantaged children, those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those known or previously known to children’s social care. Children’s wellbeing is supported through positive relationships and effective care routines.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders and staff support pupils to reduce barriers to their learning and wellbeing. Leaders identify pupils’ needs quickly and accurately, including disadvantaged pupils, pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), and those known or previously known to children’s social care. Support is organised to help pupils play a full part in school life.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders understand that high-quality, inclusive teaching is at the heart of effective inclusion. They support staff to make adaptations to classroom practice so that pupils with barriers to their learning can access the same curriculum as their peers. Leaders work with external professionals and parents to ensure that support is matched to pupils’ needs.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders check the impact of the support in place. They gather a range of information, including progress information, and make timely adjustments where needed. Disadvantaged pupils, those with SEND and those known or previously known to children’s social care make progress from their starting points over time.

p.3

Inclusion Expected standard

Leaders use pupil premium funding to benefit disadvantaged pupils and reduce barriers to their learning and wellbeing. They keep inclusion as a strategic priority and continually adapt their approach to pupils' changing needs.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders have a clear and accurate understanding of the school’s context and areas for development. Since the appointment of the new headteacher, leaders have acted to address key priorities, and the impact of their actions is evident. They deploy staff thoughtfully and promote a culture of professionalism. Leaders work constructively with parents, the local authority, the diocese and external partners. These collaborative relationships support the school’s capacity to improve.

p.3

Leadership and governance Expected standard

Leaders act in the best interests of pupils and uphold the professional standards expected of them. They maintain high expectations for what pupils can achieve and promote a positive culture built on respectful relationships. Staff and families speak positively about the integrity of leaders and the impact of their work so far. Leaders prioritise professional development and have established an evidence-informed programme linked to improvement priorities. Staff value the support and training they receive as changes to the curriculum and teaching

p.3

Needs attention

are introduced. Leaders and governors consider workload and wellbeing when planning and introducing change.

p.4

Needs attention

Governors fulfil their statutory responsibilities and provide support and challenge to leaders. They understand the school’s context and the impact of recent leadership changes. Systems for monitoring typically provide governors with suitable oversight of the school’s work, including outcomes for disadvantaged pupils and the use of additional funding. However, not all governors yet have the depth of knowledge and expertise needed to ensure that challenge is consistently robust across all areas of the school’s work.

p.4