Good Shepherd Catholic Primary and Nursery School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are extremely happy in school. They are confident, friendly and kind.

Leaders have developed a caring and inclusive culture. They know their pupils very well which ensures they are safe.

There are high expectations for all pupils.

This includes for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are excited to learn and enthusiastic during lessons.

Pupils behave well both during lessons and around the school site.

This includes in early years where children are motivated and show respect for each other. Pupils all have a trusted adult in the school to speak to if they have any concerns. Leaders have put clear ...systems in place to support positive behaviour.

These are understood by both pupils and staff.

All pupils benefit from an extremely broad range of wider opportunities. These include various sports clubs, music and cooking clubs.

Leaders ensure that these opportunities are of a very high quality. There are a range of leadership positions that pupils can take in the school which have a tangible impact on the school. These include school council, eco club and the chaplaincy team.

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

Leaders ensure that all subjects meet the ambition of the national curriculum. They have designed a curriculum that progressively builds important knowledge over time. In mathematics, leaders have identified the specific areas of the curriculum that contributed to low 2023 national outcomes at the end of Year 6.

Several new strategies have been put in place to improve pupils' understanding of arithmetic and number work across all year groups. Pupils routinely demonstrated the impact of this work with a very secure understanding of these areas of the curriculum.

Teachers have strong subject knowledge and present information clearly.

They make adaptations to ensure pupils with SEND have an ambitious curriculum. Leaders work closely with parents and external agencies to ensure that all pupils in the school receive the support they require to access the curriculum.

Sometimes, teachers do not check understanding and address misconceptions systematically.

This means that some pupils are not always ready to learn future content. In early years, staff do not always routinely develop children's communication and language effectively. The school needs to ensure all staff are trained to reinforce the intended learning outcomes of all activities.

There is a strong focus on pupils learning to read from the start of reception. Teachers are well trained to deliver the programme. Assessment is used effectively to identify pupils who are falling behind the pace of the programme.

Intervention sessions successfully ensure these pupils are supported. The books that pupils read are well matched to the sounds that they know. Pupils across the school all read a wide range of books in school and at home.

Pupils have positive attitudes to their learning. In early years, children follow routines sensibly. Leaders ensure that attendance is extremely high.

They have robust procedures in place and work closely with parents to support pupils to attend school regularly.

Leaders have developed an extremely well-designed personal development curriculum. Pupils receive two lessons a week where they learn new content and then apply this knowledge to a variety of contexts.

As a result, pupils have a deep understand of what they learn. They are highly articulate when discussing a range of topics including online safety and healthy relationships.

All pupils attend a wide range of visits that link to the curriculum.

These include outings to museums, London landmarks and the local library. Leaders have also organised trips to a local independent school to make use of their sport facilities. This allows pupils to experience an extremely broad range of sports including rugby, lacrosse and swimming.

Leaders and governors help to look after the health and welfare of staff. They explore strategies where possible to help minimise workload. Leaders have developed extremely positive relationships with parents and the local community.

Governors understand the strengths and priorities of the school. They provide a wide range of expertise and carry out their role effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, teaching does not systematically identify and clarify pupils' misunderstandings well or ensure that pupils are secure in subject specific knowledge. This means that sometimes pupils are not ready to learn new content and concepts. Leaders should develop the expertise of all teachers so that they address any gaps in pupils' understanding.

• Sometimes in early years, staff do not use activities well to develop children's communication and language effectively. This means that sometimes opportunities are missed to develop a wide vocabulary. Leaders should ensure that all staff are trained to consistently promote children's use of language and reinforce the intended learning outcomes through all activities.