James Watt Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 8 October 2024

Pupils are polite and friendly. They befriend and include pupils from all backgrounds, especially those who learn English as an additional language. This helps newly arrived pupils feel welcome and settle quickly. The school has high expectations of pupils. It has raised the profile of reading and placed it front and centre of the curriculum. As a result, more pupils now meet the expected standard in phonics in Year 1 and in reading in Year 6. Pupils also achieve well in mathematics. However, pupils' writing is less developed. There is also variation in how well some subjects in the wider curriculum are delivered. Most staff expect pupils to work hard and behave well. Pupils meet these expectations, including in the early years. Children listen carefully, take turns and use equipment sensibly. Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. They enjoy school and feel safe because adults are attentive to their needs. The school takes pupils' personal development and well-being seriously. Pupils start each day with an exercise activity. This gets them off to a positive start to the school day. It also boosts their fitness and mental health.

What the school should improve

• The delivery of some curriculum subjects is variable. At times, teachers do not make clear what they want pupils to learn or set tasks that help pupils acquire the knowledge and skills needed for future learning. The school should make sure that teachers have the skills they need to ensure that pupils secure key knowledge as they progress through the curriculum.
• The writing curriculum does not include sufficient opportunities for pupils to practise their writing. As a result, pupils do not learn to use grammar, spelling and punctuation accurately, or build up the stamina needed to write independently and at length. The school should ensure that the writing curriculum is structured so that all pupils gain sufficient practise to develop and embed their essential early writing skills.
• The governing body does not have sufficient oversight of all aspects of the school's curriculum. It lacks understanding of where deficiencies weaken the quality of education across the school. As a result, the actions taken by school leaders are not sufficiently scrutinised and slow down the school's improvement. The school should ensure that all aspects of its work are open to appropriate challenge and support from the governing body.

Read the full Ofsted report (opens in a new tab)