St John's CofE Primary School, Cliviger

Overview

St John’s C of E Primary School continues to be a good school, offering a “close-knit, family-oriented and nurturing” environment where pupils are “delightful” and “eager to learn.” Leaders have built a “well designed, broad and balanced” curriculum that supports high aspirations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities. The school fosters exceptional behaviour and strong community ties, with parents holding “very positive views.”

Strengths

• Pupils demonstrate “exceptional” behaviour, are “polite, hard-working” and feel safe, with leaders acting quickly to resolve any issues.
• A “love of reading is woven throughout the school,” supported by a new early reading curriculum and effective phonics checks.
• Staff possess “strong subject knowledge” and explain new learning clearly, helping pupils build vocabulary and recall key information.
• Pupils with SEND are “well supported” through individual plans that allow them to follow the same curriculum as their peers.
• Leaders prioritise personal development, using the “uniqueness of their rural setting” to provide extensive outdoor learning and leadership opportunities.

Areas to improve

• In a small number of subjects, leaders have not identified the “precise knowledge” pupils should acquire in enough detail, leading to gaps in some pupils’ knowledge.
• Teachers do not always check “well enough” that pupils fully understand what has been taught, preventing some from building knowledge securely on prior learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective, with staff maintaining a “clear and robust understanding” of their duties and keeping “precise and detailed records” of actions taken to keep pupils safe.