Ofsted & Inspection Reports
We are extremely proud of our record as a high performing school. We are graded Good by Ofsted, Outstanding by Challenge Partners and Outstanding in our Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS).
Ofsted
St James Hatcham continues to be a high performing school and we are delighted to share the inspector’s comments about the warm, family atmosphere here and crucially that children simply love coming to our school. Our thanks to the staff and the community who make this possible.
Ofsted Inspectors were particularly impressed with the following areas, highlighting them as strengths and offering comments of praise:
- Pupils love coming to school.
- Pupils’ achievements are particularly strong in English and mathematics.
- Leaders have put in place a curriculum that is well considered and arranged.
- Leaders and staff know their pupils and families well.
- Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils.
- Pupils behave well, both in and out of lessons.
- Differences are welcomed and celebrated.
- SEND pupils are supported effectively and are learning the curriculum well.
- Staff identify those who are falling behind at the earliest opportunity.
- Pupils are confident that if they have any concerns, there will be an adult to talk to.
- Pupils have extensive opportunities to develop their leadership skills.
- Pupils are knowledgeable about e-safety, road safety, stranger danger, privacy and, dignity.
- Plenty of educational visits are planned to enrich the curriculum and support pupils' wider development.
To read our Ofsted short inspection report, 2023, please click the link below:
To read our Ofsted full inspection report, 2012, please click the link below:
SIAMS
The SIAMS report demonstrates the strong Christian ethos, the high standards in the teaching of Religious Education (RE) and the quality of Collective Worship. Comments of praise include:
- The school’s uncompromising declaration that it ‘raises learners in excellence and Godly character’ is underpinned by its promotion of the core Christian values of love, peace, hope and joy. These values are visible in every aspect of the school’s work, inspire its staff and define its purpose.
- Religious education (RE) is well taught and, by the time they leave the school, pupils have an excellent understanding of Christianity and a solid understanding of the other faiths they have studied.
- Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted very effectively so that, as soon as they join the school, they quickly appreciate diversity and develop positive attitudes of tolerance and respect, regardless of faith or belief.
- There is, throughout the school, a shared sense of spirituality that impacts on pupils’ attitudes and affords them opportunities to pose deep questions, across the curriculum.
To read our SIAMS report, please click the link below:
Challenge Partners
We joined Challenge Partners, a national network of schools, in July 2017 in order to support the monitoring and evaluation of our overall effectiveness. We were reviewed in February 2018 and were delighted to be graded Outstanding. Inspectors comments included:
- The school’s motto of ‘raising learners in excellence and godly character’ permeates the caring, aspirational atmosphere generated throughout the school.
- The vibrant environment in classrooms enhances learning.
- Teachers have secure subject knowledge. This enables them to plan and deliver exciting lessons.
- Engagement in all lessons is high because pupils have high aspirations. They want to live up to their teachers’ high expectations.
- Questioning is suitably probing.
- A detailed scrutiny of pupils’ books affirms the quality of teaching. Presentation is extremely neat and the standard and quantity of work demonstrate positive progress in all year groups. Teachers’ comments are meaningful, pointing pupils in the right direction to make greater progress.
- Pupils are motivated learners and, to further their learning away from the classroom, they willingly complete their homework, taking it very seriously. When asked if they ever failed to complete it, they were incredulous at the mere suggestion.
- Pupils love coming to school, describing it as ‘exciting, fun and inspiring’. They benefit from very caring relationships with their teachers, with one pupil suggesting, ‘teachers seem like they’re part of your family’.
To read our Challenge Partners report, please click the link below:
Inclusion Quality Mark and Basics Skills Quality Mark
We have achieved the Inclusion Quality Mark Centre of Excellence. This demonstrates the excellent achievements our school makes in improving the outcomes of all pupils.
Pupils achieve well and staff work very hard to ensure they are continually improving.
A similar report was reflected in the Basics Skills Quality Mark (BSQM) assessment of which we passed with flying colours.
This small school is both forward looking and flexible with structures which encourage quick response to the identified needs of different pupils. It is not complacent; proactively seeking to identify ways of further developing pedagogy and practice in the light of ongoing review.
