St John’s Catholic Primary School, Poulton-le-Fylde

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is an outstanding school. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage get off to an excellent start. They quickly become enthusiastic, confident learners and make rapid progress in all areas of learning.

The school builds extremely well on this excellent start and pupils continue to make outstanding progress as they move through the school. They achieve standards which are well above average by the time they leave Year 6. Teaching is of a consistently high quality because teachers have very high expectations of all pupils.

They know pupils exceptionally well and set them challenging work which is adapted to meet the needs and interests of different pupil...s. Pupils are encouraged from an early stage to develop their thinking skills and become independent in their learning. The quality of marking, however, is not consistent across all subjects and classes in the school.

Extremely skilled and experienced teaching assistants make an exceptionally strong contribution to pupils' progress. They understand individual pupils' needs and support them highly effectively. Pupils' behaviour and attitudes to school are outstanding.

They are polite and considerate at all times and relish opportunities to take responsibility and look after one another. They feel very safe and well cared for. Pupils thrive personally as well as academically because of the outstanding range of deeply engaging experiences provided by the school, which help them learn about the world around them and develop individual talents.

Outstanding leadership by the headteacher and other senior leaders has ensured that previous high levels of achievement have been sustained. Leaders observe lessons regularly and give teachers detailed feedback to ensure that teaching remains outstanding. Governors are knowledgeable and very supportive of the school.

There is no hint of complacency and all staff and governors are equally committed to giving all pupils the best possible opportunities.

Information about this school

This is a smaller than average-sized primary school. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is well below average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals, children from service families and those children who are looked after by the local authority. Traditionally, only a tiny proportion of pupils in each class are eligible for free school meals.

The proportion of pupils supported through school action is well below average. The proportion of pupils supported at school action plus or with a statement of special educational needs is also well below average. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.

Taylor's Tigers provides a breakfast and after-school club, managed by an external provider. These are subject to separate inspections and the reports are available on the Ofsted website. The headteacher works as an associate adviser for the local authority on two days each week.

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