John Keble CofE Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 14 June 2023

Everyone is welcomed and included at John Keble, no matter when they join the school. Pupils are happy at this nurturing and inclusive school. Parents and carers are very positive about how leaders and staff care for their children. One parent summed this up by describing how leaders have created an environment where each pupil can grow in their uniqueness but also contribute to the whole. Leaders have high expectations of the way pupils behave and learn. Pupils' behaviour in class and around the school reflects this. They do their best to act in a calm and considerate manner. Bullying is not tolerated at this school. Leaders also work collaboratively with parents to support learning at home. Leaders continually think about how best to ensure that pupils learn and achieve well. The curriculum that pupils follow is designed with ambition, underpinned by clear expectations. In a few subjects, expectations for the curriculum have been established more recently. This means that the way in which the curriculum is taught does not support the development of pupils' knowledge as well as it could. Pupils enjoy opportunities to take a lead in their school. For example, the literacy leaders are proud of their work to reorganise the 'Book Nook' by the playground. Pupils said that this is a calm and quiet area where they can enjoy reading.

What the school should improve

• Leaders' work to raise expectations for what pupils should learn and remember, while proving to be effective, is not fully embedded in a few curriculum subjects. This means that, over time, gaps in pupils' knowledge have developed, and, at times, these are not being addressed with precision and rigour. Leaders need to continue their work to establish the curriculum in these subjects, ensuring that any gaps in pupils' understanding are picked up and filled through the delivery of the curriculum.
• Sometimes, the adaptations and support provided by additional adults are not focused precisely on what pupils are expected to learn and remember. This includes pupils with SEND and children in the early years. As a result, there are times where pupils are not understanding and deepening their knowledge as well as leaders intend. Leaders should ensure that all staff have the necessary expertise to provide support that enables pupils to understand and remember the subject content that they are learning.

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