The leadership team has maintained the good quality of education in the school since the last inspection. You have established an effective team of committed and dedicated staff who are determined to give your pupils the best start in life. Key ingredients to your success are the in-depth knowledge you have of every individual pupil and the way you all work together to ensure that any barriers to success are overcome. Despite many children arriving at the school with skills below those typically expected for their age, the vast majority leave ready and able to tackle the challenges that lie ahead. There is a warm, calm and welcoming atmosphere which permeates every part of your school. Pupils say they enjoy their time at St Augustine’s and that they are safe and happy. Pupils are polite and well-mannered and show respect for adults and for each other. They work together well and their attitudes to learning are strong. Leaders and staff are ambitious for all pupils and have high expectations of them. You ensure that pupils’ needs are met well, both academically and pastorally, making sure that pupils are always in the best position to learn. You are skilled at making sure that support for learning is targeted where it is needed. At the previous inspection, inspectors noted that pupils’ achievement and attainment in key stage 1 needed to improve. You have effected this improvement. At the time of the previous inspection, by the end of key stage 1, pupils’ reading and writing skills were significantly behind those of other pupils of the same age. Since then, you have targeted improvements in these subjects, and as a result, pupils’ reading and writing skills are now broadly similar to other pupils of the same age. The previous inspection report also noted that the teaching of letters and sounds (phonics) to younger pupils should be more rigorous. This now takes place on a daily basis and the organisation of pupils into focused groups means that they are learning more effectively. You have also linked pupils’ learning of letters and sounds to their early reading and writing development as these were related subjects that needed improvement. The result of changes made in these areas is that more pupils are now able to pass the national phonics screening check in Year 1. Although this shows an improvement, you understand that there is still more work to do to ensure that a greater proportion of pupils develop the relevant skills to pass the phonics check in future. The final improvement requested by previous inspectors was to provide more opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills in other subjects. This is an ongoing focus for you. The work I saw in topic and science books shows that pupils now have wider opportunities to write at length. Safeguarding is effective. The leadership team has ensured that safeguarding arrangements are fit for purpose and reflect the most up-to-date government legislation. Records are detailed and of high quality, such as the recording of checks taken to ensure that any adults employed at the school are suitable to work with children. You have ensured that staff training to keep pupils safe is completed regularly and that leaders receive training in the safe recruitment of staff. Staff complete detailed risk assessments before embarking on any trip or visit and these are only sanctioned when you have reviewed the safety arrangements. Your work with pupils and families who are vulnerable is thorough and any incidents or issues are quickly followed up. Outside agencies become involved where necessary. Pupils say that they feel safe in school and the vast majority of parents agree. Inspection findings  Leaders know the school very well and you identify accurately its strengths and areas that need improving. Your planned actions for improvement are appropriate and are focused in relevant areas. Your own evaluation of the school’s effectiveness is also accurate. You have demonstrated how your actions have had a positive impact on the overall effectiveness of the school, such as the improving outcomes of pupils at the end of key stage 1. Your school development plan incorporates many strategies to effect ongoing improvement but these are not focused sharply enough on what targets you are trying to achieve. This would assist leaders and governors in measuring your success along the way.