St John's Church of England Voluntary Aided First School, Frome

Overview

Pupils enjoy attending this welcoming and nurturing school, where positive relationships and a culture of kindness help them feel safe. However, the pace of improvement following recent leadership changes has been “too slow,” meaning the curriculum does not yet ensure all pupils are ready for the next stage of their learning.

Strengths

• Staff are “friendly and warm,” knowing pupils well and fostering positive relationships that make children feel secure.
• Behaviour is generally good, with a “calm and orderly” environment where older pupils support younger ones through play leader roles.
• Personal development is strong, with pupils learning about health, protected characteristics, and different cultures, preparing them well for “life in modern Britain.”
• In well-developed subjects like mathematics and art, the curriculum clearly identifies what pupils need to know, helping them achieve well.

Areas to improve

• The school must raise expectations to ensure the curriculum is implemented effectively in all classes, particularly in subjects like English where learning steps are not clearly defined.
• Support for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) requires improvement, as some support plans lack the precision needed to help these pupils build knowledge across the curriculum.
• The quality of reading support is inconsistent, and some pupils struggle to become confident readers because books are not always closely matched to the sounds they have learned.

Safeguarding

The report states that “the arrangements for safeguarding are effective.”