St James Church of England First School

Overview

St James Church of England First School is described as a "friendly school in the heart of its community" where "pupils flourish in its supportive atmosphere." The report highlights that staff show "kindness and warmth," and pupils uphold values of "love, truth and hope." All key judgement areas, including the quality of education and leadership, are rated as Good.

Strengths

• Reading is prioritised as the "gateway to all learning," with staff using rigorous phonics checks to ensure "no pupils fall behind."
• The curriculum is "ambitious," helping pupils acquire deep knowledge in subjects like history and science, including in mixed-age classes.
• Personal development is a strength, with pupils engaging in clubs, leadership roles, and community activities that foster a strong sense of belonging.
• Staff effectively support pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), using "visual prompts and personalised resources" to enable inclusion.
• Leaders have created a "strong culture of teamwork" and consider staff workload, resulting in positive staff attitudes.

Areas to improve

• Some staff do not consistently correct misconceptions in written work, leading to recurring errors in "basic punctuation and letter formation."
• In a minority of recently revised subjects, pupils’ "recall and depth of knowledge are less secure" than in other areas.

Safeguarding

The report states that "the arrangements for safeguarding are effective."