St John's Church School

Overview: St John's Church School is a good school with a strong focus on personal development, where pupils achieve well and are well-supported in their learning. The school has a positive atmosphere, with pupils feeling safe and valued.

Strengths:

• Pupils achieve well in reading, writing, and mathematics, with teachers providing good subject knowledge and leaders regularly checking for gaps in understanding.
• The school has a strong focus on personal development, with leaders taking a holistic approach to pupils' well-being and providing extra support for those who need it.
• Pupils have a positive attitude to learning and attend school regularly, with teachers addressing any low-level disruption in class.
• The school has a strong emphasis on sport, with pupils enjoying regular access to specialist sports coaches and a wide range of sports activities.
• Pupils respect differences and understand equality and British values, with leaders providing a clear and thought-out approach to personal development.

Areas to improve:

• In the foundation subjects, work is not always sufficiently well matched to the aims of the curriculum, meaning that pupils do not always acquire the detailed knowledge leaders intend.
• The early years curriculum is in the early stages of being updated to include the recently acquired Nursery, with not enough precision in how the early years curriculum builds knowledge from the start of Nursery to the end of Reception.

Safeguarding: The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with pupils feeling safe and well-informed about online safety and managing risks.