'Happy and inspirational' school in Worksop lives up to its motto, says Ofsted

St John’s Church Of England Academy is “a happy school that pupils really feel a part of”, said Ofsted after an inspection that yielded a rating of ‘Good’.

“Pupils say the school is one big family,” the inspectors’report said. “One summed up the views of many others by describing it as inspirational.

"Pupils feel safe because teachers care for them. They say there is very little bullying because everyone gets on so well.”

St John’s, on Raymoth Lane, has 459 pupils, aged three to 11, on its books. It is part of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham Multi-Academy Trust, which is responsible for more than 20 schools across the East Midlands. The principal at St John’s is Gez Rizzo, while its board of trustees is chaired by Philip Blinston.

The inspectors’ report explained the school’s ethos by saying: “Staff help pupils to believe in their own abilities. This grows their confidence so they want to show how much they can do and are keen to learn more. They love getting ‘Rizzo rewards’ for their hard work and conduct.

"Pupils value the good quality of education they receive. They say that teachers make lessons exciting. They become fluent readers from a young age and achieve well across all subjects.”

Ofsted found that staff at St John’s “want everyone to flourish and to achieve their potential” – and this included pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), who learned the same curriculum as everyone else and were given “effective support”.

Teachers at the school were praised for “having the knowledge to deliver different subjects effectively” after receiving “regular training”. As a result, the report said, “pupils leave for secondary school with attainment that is significantly above average”.

St John’s was hailed for its “calm learning environment”, where pupils “behave well and do not disrupt lessons”. They were polite and very respectful of property”.

The moral development of pupils was “a clear strength” at the school, which taught pupils about relationships and other cultures, and gave them the chance to join clubs.

Staff morale was high too, with adults “working as a united team” and feeling “proud to work at St John’s”.