St John the Baptist Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 13 March 2023

Pupils are proud to attend this school. They feel safe and well cared for. If they have any worries, they know they can talk to adults in school who will help them. Leaders know their pupils and their families very well and tailor support to help everyone to flourish. Pupils benefit from leaders' high expectations and they talk enthusiastically about their learning. All pupils, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are well supported by adults who help them achieve their best. All pupils are confident that staff take any of the infrequent incidents of bullying or unkindness very seriously. Staff deal with these incidents effectively, so they do not reoccur. Most pupils focus well on their learning. If attention drifts, staff are quick to help pupils to get on with their work. Leaders promote pupils' personal development well. Pupils enjoy a range of activities that develop their talents and interests in music, dance and sport. Leaders have created many opportunities to help pupils develop wider responsibilities to support their school community. Pupils and parents appreciate this. One parent said, 'They support my child not only to learn but also to get involved and become a responsible citizen.'

What the school should improve

• Some new school initiatives do not consistently deliver what leaders intend. This means that pupils' learning is not being developed as planned. Leaders should be more rigorous in assuring themselves that all policies and practices are delivered as agreed.
• Teachers sometimes lack expert knowledge in curriculum areas. This can hinder how well they deliver the planned content and build successfully on pupils' prior knowledge. Leaders should continue with developing teachers' implementation of the curriculum so that pupils achieve as well as they possibly can.

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