St John's Angell Town Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 5 November 2024

Staff support pupils' well-being at this welcoming and friendly school. Pupils report any concerns they have, and teachers sort them out quickly. This helps pupils to feel safe and comfortable at school. Pupils learn the school's ambitious curriculum, achieve well and the school teaches them thoughtfully about choices for their future. For example, during a 'careers day' the school arranges for visitors to talk to pupils about how to become a nurse or an astrophysicist. Pupils behave in a kind and respectful manner here. In the early years, adults show children how to listen well, and play together by taking turns and sharing. Older pupils help each other in the classroom and include others in the playground. Pupils benefit from taking up leadership responsibility. At breaktimes, pupils who are play leaders set out equipment, and those who are well-being ambassadors check that other pupils have someone to play with. The school promotes pupils' wider development well. Educational visits extend pupils learning, such as a visit to the Science Museum or making pizza in a local restaurant. Pupils have many opportunities they do not ordinarily have, such as canoeing and building campfires on a residential trip.

What the school should improve

• Teaching does not consistently support pupils to develop a detailed understanding of the books they read. As a result, pupils are less confident than they might be in discussing literature. Some pupils do not routinely read for pleasure outside of the school curriculum. The school should ensure that pupils are taught the knowledge they need to talk about the deeper meanings of texts, and are supported to read widely beyond texts offered in the school curriculum.
• In some instances, teachers' assessment does not help them to identify where pupils do not know curriculum content securely. Where this is the case, teachers sometimes ask pupils to complete tasks that do not build well on what they know. In other instances, pupils make mistakes that are not identified and addressed swiftly. This leads to pupils having some gaps in their knowledge. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils' knowledge carefully, providing work that builds well on what they already know and addressing gaps and misconceptions promptly.

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