Leeming St. John's Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 6 June 2023

Pupils love coming to school. It is a place of happiness. Leaders have established an ethos of care, where pupils' academic development and personal growth are important. Adults expect pupils to do their best - and they do. Teachers encourage pupils to develop 'learning powers' to help them succeed. Pupils are taught to persevere, be resourceful, listen and work together to gain success. All pupils are fully involved in learning. As such, behaviour in lessons is good. Pupils show positive attitudes to learning. The sense of an extended family means that pupils play and learn together well. Behaviour issues are rare because pupils follow the 'golden rules'. Courtesy and good manners are everywhere. Relationships are strong. Pupils speak to each other with respect. Teachers model this behaviour for pupils to learn. Bullying is incredibly rare. Pupils say that teachers would quickly deal with it should it happen. Pupils play happily with other pupils of all ages. Pupils love the playground mud kitchen, the tarpaulins for den building, the monkey bars and the A-frame. Pupils feel safe because they trust their teachers. Pupils practise routines to keep themselves safe, such as fire drills or short whistle blasts when there is a dog on the field. Certificates distributed in Friday assembly reward things, like handwriting, being pupil of the week or simply being 'awesome'. School clubs, like summer sports or the outdoor club, are popular and well attended.

What the school should improve

• The curriculum in a few subjects, such as geography and history, is not as well mapped out as it is in others, such as physical education or art and design. In these subjects, the essential knowledge that pupils should learn at the end of a unit of work is not precisely defined. This includes in a small number of the areas of learning in the early years. Pupils then find it difficult to link and remember learning. Leaders should ensure that the knowledge that pupils should learn in each curriculum area is precisely identified.
• Teachers do not provide enough opportunities for pupils to explain their mathematical thinking and solve problems. As a result, pupils' reasoning skills in mathematics are not as well developed as they could be. Leaders should make sure that there are more opportunities to encourage mathematical reasoning, so that pupils become skilled in applying their mathematical knowledge.

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