St John's Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 2 December 2025

Pupils are rightly proud to be part of this friendly and welcoming school. Members of the school community refer to it as a place 'full of love'. From the Reception Year to Year 6, pupils eagerly come into school in the morning. Staff nurture and care for pupils, knowing them well. This helps pupils feel safe and settled. The school has high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers, generally live up to or exceed these expectations. Most pupils achieve well across the curriculum and are well prepared for the next stage of their education. Staff support pupils with barriers to learning effectively so they can succeed. In lessons, pupils engage well in their learning. Child-friendly characters are used to remind pupils of behaviours for learning, for example taking responsibility and showing perseverance. Pupils speak confidently about what they are learning and how it links to what they have learned previously. Pupils typically behave well. The school values underpin the expectation for respectful behaviour. Pupils learn to cooperate and reflect on their own and others' behaviours. Themed initiatives such as 'cool to be kind' week supports this learning. Pupils demonstrate a deep understanding of fundamental British values in the way they show empathy, tolerance and encouragement towards each other. They are friendly and courteous, and engage well with visitors. St John's prioritises pupils' wellbeing and personal development as highly as their academic success. Pupils take full advantage of the wide array of enrichment opportunities woven through the curriculum. They take enormous pride in their regular musical shows and theatre performances. For example, members of the steel pan band speak enthusiastically about performing at local events.

What the school should improve

• Leaders should ensure that teachers across all phases make informed and effective decisions about how and when to deliver and monitor writing content in the curriculum, so that pupils consistently experience the best possible learning.
• Leaders should ensure that pupils secure strong foundations in spelling and handwriting, so they are consistently able to achieve greater accuracy and proficiency in their writing across all subjects.

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