St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Primary School, Padiham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Primary School, Padiham continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, including children in the early years, at St John the Baptist Roman Catholic Primary School are well mannered and respectful. They enjoy coming to school and describe it as 'amazing, friendly and welcoming'. They demonstrate the school's mission to 'Love One Another' in their interactions with each other and with adults in the school.

Leaders have high expectations for pupils' behaviour and achievement. Pupils live up to these high expectations. They act as wonderful ambassadors for their school.

Pupils, including those with special educa...tional needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils behave well in school. Older pupils relish their responsibility to ensure that behaviour in the corridors at breaktimes is safe and orderly.

Leaders deal with any bullying quickly and effectively. Pupils feel confident that they could talk to any member of staff about any concerns or worries they might have. They feel safe and happy in school.

Leaders have planned a varied range of activities to excite pupils' interests and develop their talents. Pupils enjoy outdoor activities in the school's garden and a wide range of sporting activities and competitions. Further education and career opportunities are explored through visits to a local college.

Parents and carers are very positive about the school. They praise leaders' efforts to help families as well as the pupils in their care.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

Leaders have designed an aspirational curriculum which extends from the early years to Year 6.

They are ambitious for what they want pupils, including children in the early years, to achieve. They have given careful thought to how pupils learn best. They have identified the key knowledge that pupils need to acquire and retain.

New learning builds on what pupils have learned before. Leaders have judiciously considered how learning in the early years prepares children for key stage 1. To this end, staff in the early years encourage children to become confident and articulate learners.

For the most part, teachers implement the curriculum as leaders intend. They provide clear explanations and design appropriate activities to enhance pupils' learning and engagement. Nevertheless, in a small number of subjects, some teachers do not teach the key facts that pupils need to know and remember effectively.

As a result, in these subjects, pupils do not achieve as well as they could.

Pupils are proud of the high-quality work that they produce. Teachers check pupils' knowledge and understanding to identify gaps in learning and shape future teaching.

They provide extra help for those who need it.

Leaders have implemented a new phonics programme. Children learn phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class.

Staff have been trained in how to deliver this new programme. Pupils take home books that match the sounds that they are learning. Teachers regularly check the sounds that pupils know.

They put strategies in place to help those who are finding reading more difficult to catch up with their peers. However, some pupils are not catching up as quickly as they should. Some are unable to blend sounds to make words.

This is hindering their ability to follow the curriculum in other areas.

Pupils enjoy reading. Teachers encourage them to read widely from a variety of genres of books.

They read to pupils regularly from carefully chosen texts to enhance subject curriculums.

Leaders work with parents and external professionals to identify quickly any pupils who may have additional needs. Timely and appropriate support is put in place to ensure that pupils with SEND can follow the same ambitious curriculum as their peers.

These pupils are fully included in the life of the school. They achieve well.

Leaders have implemented a new behaviour policy.

This policy encourages and rewards respectful and kind behaviour. Pupils have embraced these changes. Their behaviour is exemplary.

They are fully engaged in their learning and rarely disrupt lessons.

Through the personal development programme, pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They learn how important it is to respect and celebrate differences.

Leaders have established a strong culture of helping those who are in need. The Growing in Faith team coordinates the school's fund-raising activities for local, national and international charities. Older pupils relish taking on positions of responsibility in the school.

Staff appreciate leaders' efforts to consider their well-being and workload. They describe the school as a 'family' and are proud to work in it. Governors know the school well.

This enables them to identify the strengths in the curriculum and the areas for further improvement.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong safeguarding culture.

Staff are fully aware of their responsibilities to ensure that all pupils are safe. Leaders have ensured that staff receive regular training and updates on how to spot the signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. Leaders work effectively with external agencies to ensure that pupils and families receive the timely support that they need.

Pupils learn about the importance of being physically and emotionally healthy. They learn how to stay safe on the roads and online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of younger pupils are not able to read as well as they should.

They are unable to blend sounds to make words. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported well to help these pupils to catch up quickly. ? A small number of teachers do not teach some aspects of the curriculum as leaders intend.

As a result, in some subjects, some pupils do not learn as well as they could. Leaders should ensure that those responsible for the subject curriculums have the time and training necessary to enable them to oversee the implementation of their curriculums effectively.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005. We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2014.

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