Salisbury school praised by latest Ofsted inspection

Bemerton St John Primary School has been praised following the latest inspection visit by Ofsted, with the school rated as good across the board, with one area outstanding.

Under the leadership of headteacher Claire Pearce, the school was inspected in July and has highlighted many of the school's strengths, specifically Personal Development, which was marked as outstanding. 

This was the school's first full inspection after joining the Magna Learning Partnership, and it found that the school has high ambitions for pupils to achieve well.

The report says, "The school’s vision for pupils to develop compassion and selflessness is exemplified with ‘Through love, serve one another’. Pupils demonstrate care for others during social times through their esteemed ambassador roles. Collaboration during projects between year groups helps pupils get to know each other well. Older pupils love the many opportunities to foster strong relationships with younger pupils.

"The school’s wider offer for pupils has been meticulously considered. For example, pupils benefit from a thoughtfully planned careers curriculum that goes beyond the expected. They have a range of ambitions and they know how their learning can lead to different careers. The school has also carefully decided on trips and visitors. For example, the school invited Wessex Water to host workshops on rivers. Pupils visit Stonehenge linked to their history learning. Clubs include taekwondo, mini marathon and gardening."

Reading was highlighted as a strength in the school, "Teaching pupils to read quickly is a high priority for the school. Staff have been trained to teach early reading. Pupils are frequently assessed so that the books they read help them practise the sounds they are confident in. Any pupils who fall behind Inspection report: Bemerton St John Church of England Primary 10 and 11 July 2024 3 are given swift support to keep up."

However, a couple of areas were highlighted for strengthening: " The school has not clearly identified and sequenced the most important subject-specific concepts that they want pupils to learn and revisit. This means some pupils do not have a secure understanding of this knowledge." In some subjects, the reports identified that "assessment of pupils’ learning is not precise enough. This means the exact gaps that some pupils have are not always addressed."

Headteacher Claire Pearce expressed her pride in the school community, stating, "This Ofsted report reflects the dedication and hard work of our staff, pupils, and families. We are delighted with the recognition of our positive culture and high aspirations for our pupils. We will continue to build on this success to ensure every child receives the best possible start in life."

You can read the full report here - https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50257558.