Watford St John's Church of England Primary School

What Ofsted said

From the inspection on 25 February 2025

Pupils enjoy school. They play happily together at breaktimes. They build friendships in a safe environment. They feel safe because they trust the staff to listen and to help them when they have worries. Staff set high expectations and pupils strive to meet them. They show this in their well- presented written work and their enthusiasm for learning. Pupils study a broad range of subjects and follow a clear approach to learning to read. However, some pupils have not yet built strong enough subject knowledge or learned to read with confidence and fluency. Pupils behave well and respect the school rules. Staff build strong relationships with pupils and understand their individual needs. They provide effective support to help those who need guidance in managing their feelings and behaviour. There are a range of opportunities for pupils to explore their interests. Being part of the school council gives pupils a sense of pride and purpose, making them feel valued and empowered. Pupils benefit from educational visits that closely link to the curriculum. These further enhance their learning and broaden pupils' experiences. The school promotes a culture of kindness, inclusivity, and mutual respect. Pupils are encouraged to support one another and embrace differences.

What the school should improve

• Teachers do not consistently check what pupils know and can do. This slows learning and contributes to gaps in pupils' knowledge. This impacts on pupils' ability to recall essential information over time. The school should ensure that teachers check pupils' understanding routinely so that learning is matched to pupils' ability, and they can remember their learning as they progress through the school.
• The school has not ensured that the new phonics programme is implemented consistently well. Staff do not routinely check pupils' understanding. As a result, some pupils struggle with reading and are not as fluent as they could be. The school needs to ensure that the phonics programme is implemented consistently well for all pupils.
• In the early years, the planned activities are not as effective as they could be. Some opportunities to develop and deepen children's language skills are missed. As a result, children do not develop the knowledge and vocabulary they need to be ready for their next steps. The school should ensure that the early years curriculum is implemented effectively so that pupils are well prepared for Year 1.

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