John Wilkinson Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

The school provides the pupils with an outstanding quality of education.

It has a welcoming and delightfully happy environment in which pupils behave with great kindness and want to do their best. A caring ethos and strong links with external agencies help ensure that all pupils, especially those who are experiencing difficulties in their lives, receive a high level of care, guidance and support. Teachers and support staff share the headteacher's strong commitment to improving the life chances for all groups of pupils.

Parents and carers speak highly of the school. They say that the school keeps their children safe and secure and praise the school's 'family atmosphere'. Pupils are equally com...plimentary about the school.

One pupil commented, 'I could not wish for a better school'. When children enter the Early Years Foundation Stage, their skills are usually typical for children of their age. Pupils make outstanding progress and, by the time they reach the end of Year 6, their attainment is high in English and mathematics.

Teaching is consistently good and much is outstanding. In lessons, pupils work hard, cooperate very well together and show a high level of independence. Where teaching is good rather than outstanding, it is usually because a very small number of the more-able pupils do not receive sufficient challenge.

The curriculum enables pupils to gain a good knowledge of how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and provides strongly for their understanding of how to keep themselves safe. It is enriched very well through visits to places of interest, French lessons in Key Stage 2 and many visitors into school. Use of sports coaches and specialist music teachers add to pupils' enjoyment and learning.

Pupils say that they enjoy the wide range of extra-curricular clubs. In some of the non-core subjects, the curriculum is not structured enough and does not help teachers build systematically on pupils' skills and knowledge as they move through the school. The school is aware of this and has already started to improve the curriculum in art and design and design and technology.

The headteacher provides strong and very effective leadership. She leads an enthusiastic and committed team of teachers and support staff. Engagement with parents and carers is strong.

Parents' and carers' views are sought, valued and acted upon. The governing body is supportive and effectively challenges the headteacher about pupils' performance. However, most members are not regularly involved in monitoring and evaluating pupils' outcomes and the quality of provision through first-hand experience of the work of the school.

Safeguarding procedures are thorough, detailed and rigorously applied. The school's capacity for continuous improvement is outstanding. This is because it has an excellent track record of improving standards, and any relative weaknesses in provision are promptly and effectively addressed.

Information about the school

The school is smaller than the average primary school. The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is average. Of these pupils, the proportion that has a statement of special educational needs is above the national average.

Most of these pupils have moderate learning difficulties. Almost all pupils are from White British backgrounds. Of those from minority ethnic groups, no pupils are learning to speak English as an additional language.

The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is also well below average. The school has national Healthy Schools status and Artsmark. The privately run pre-school on the school site was inspected separately.