Excellence at St John the Baptist

June 25, 2026

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St John the Baptist RC Primary School is a one-form entry school in the centre of Rochdale. The school serves a diverse community with a relatively high percentage of Pupil Premium funded pupils, and a high Income Deprivation Affecting Children Index.

The school has a mission of being “one family, working together and aiming high.” The term “family” is repeated frequently and referenced throughout the school building. The Headteacher believes that while academic standards are important, school is “about so much more than that.” The school is rooted in Catholic values, giving everyone the opportunity to shine, be proud of themselves, build confidence, take part, and believe that they can succeed. The school is warm and welcoming, with displays stating that everyone is welcome in multiple languages, as well as information leaflets for parents and carers designed by pupils. The school is committed to empowering parents, and there is a genuine and personalised sense of acceptance and inclusivity. St John the Baptist is characterised by mutual respect, and a clear sense of duty and care. The school’s ethos of high expectations, kindness, and unity is lived by all staff, who model respectful relationships and they describe a ‘zero toxicity’ culture.

The passion for inclusion permeates through all areas of the school and every member of staff. Every class has an Inclusion File, and staff share emerging concerns through well-understood processes. Strategies such as ‘Band A’ guidance support early and effective intervention for EAL learners and ensure there is graduated support to enable learners to make rapid progress.

Inclusion and Connection

Targeted and personalised support for pupils with additional needs is a clear strength of St John the Baptist School. The SENDCo works collaboratively with parents, staff and external agencies.

Leaders consistently reflect on the diversity of the school, working to promote linguistic diversity and provide personalised provision, including bespoke language intervention and bilingual resources. The school works to seize every opportunity to celebrate cultural identity and ensure that every pupil and family feels included and appreciated, as well as being educated and aware of each other’s cultures.

Pupil voice is another strength, with pupils working to look out for one another and help each other when needed. There are a range of initiatives in the school for pupils to take part in, for example responsibilities as Young Interpreters. ‘Seeds and Gardeners’ provide purposeful relationships between Year 6 and Reception pupils, strengthening bonds and modelling values of support, and respect. Year 6 pupils spoke ardently about their role of ‘gardener’ and how they wrote to their allocated ‘seed’ prior to them starting at the school. Their articulation of the process highlights the positive relationships that they have developed with the younger pupils. The wide range of groups and schemes allow pupils to feel empowered to take responsibility for and shape their school community, as well as teaching leadership skills.

Celebration of every achievement is integral to the school’s culture, with success recognised not only in academic achievement but in personal growth, effort, and talents. Assemblies, leadership opportunities, recognition in class, and communication with families are used to recognise and award pupils and encourage pupils to take pride in their progress.

Pupil engagement is central to the curriculum, embedding Rosenshine’s principles to inspire active participation, understanding and application. Teachers use formative assessments and regular pupil voice feedback to tailor lessons, ensuring learning is accessible and exciting for all. This responsiveness addresses the varying needs of their pupils, helping to close attainment gaps and consistently raise standards.

St John the Baptist RC Primary School is a welcoming, kind and warm school which works hard to include and celebrate every pupil. For this reason we are proud to award them Centre of Excellence status.