Great Crosby Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Great Crosby Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, at Great Crosby Catholic Primary School enjoy coming to school. They are kind and considerate towards each other. They describe school as a 'happy place'.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). They have designed and put in place an ambitious curriculum that is delivered well by staff. This enables all pupils to achieve well.

Leaders have clearly set out their expectations for pupils' conduct. Pupils follow school routines closely and they show a... mature attitude towards their learning.

Staff know pupils and their families well.

Parents and carers recognise this and they describe the school as a 'family'. Pupils are confident that staff will listen to any concerns or anxieties that they have. This helps them to feel safe.

Leaders deal with any incidents of bullying swiftly and effectively.

Leaders provide ample opportunities for pupils to widen their horizons and develop their talents and interests. For example, pupils enjoy clubs such as musical theatre, gymnastics and choir practice.

Older pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility, such as acting as a mental health champion.

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

Leaders are ambitious for what they want pupils to achieve, including pupils with SEND. To this end, leaders have designed an aspirational curriculum to give all pupils the knowledge and skills they need to be successful.

Leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils, including children in the early years, to know and remember. The curriculum in the early years prepares children well for key stage 1. Staff with the responsibility for leading subjects are highly knowledgeable.

They have received appropriate training to help them to design curriculums well.

For the most part, teachers have the subject knowledge that they need to provide clear explanations and design appropriate activities for pupils. Teachers check carefully what pupils have learned and understood.

Staff are skilled at identifying and addressing pupils' misconceptions. They provide extra help for those pupils who need it. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to revisit earlier learning.

This helps pupils to connect new learning to what they know already.

Leaders have put reading at the heart of the curriculum and ensured that there is a consistent approach to delivering the phonics programme. Children begin learning phonics as soon as they start in the Reception class.

Staff ensure that pupils read books that closely match the sounds that they have learned. Staff support those pupils who find reading more difficult to catch up quickly with their peers. For the most part, staff are equipped well to deliver the phonics programme with confidence.

However, on occasion, a small number of staff do not deliver aspects of this programme as leaders intend. This hinders a small number of pupils in becoming confident and fluent readers as quickly as they should.

Most pupils in key stage 2 enjoy reading.

They are eager to give an account of the story and the characters in their favourite books. Teachers read to pupils regularly. They choose texts carefully to enhance subject curriculums and develop pupils' social awareness.

Children in the early years enjoy listening to stories and singing songs.

Leaders work with staff and parents effectively to identify swiftly any pupils who may have SEND. These pupils receive timely and appropriate support to allow them to learn the full curriculum with their peers.

Pupils with SEND are fully included in all aspects of school life. They achieve well.

Pupils behave sensibly in school.

For example, pupils in the early years learn how to line up for their lunch and tidy away afterwards. Pupils are keen to have their positive behaviours recognised by staff. Added to this, pupils are encouraged by teachers to reflect on their actions when they do not meet leaders' high expectations.

Learning in lessons is rarely interrupted.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn about the city in which they live and the world around them. They learn about treating everyone with respect and dignity.

Pupils learn about British values. For example, they are appointed as representatives on the school council, having pitched their ideas in a democratic process. As part of pupils' wider development, leaders ensure that they are informed well about a range of different career paths.

Governors support and challenge leaders to develop further the quality of education for pupils. They are knowledgeable about leaders' key priorities. Staff are proud to work at this school.

They appreciate the efforts of school leaders and governors to look after their well-being. Leaders have engaged with staff effectively to reduce their workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders ensure that staff receive regular and up-to-date safeguarding training. All staff know how to recognise the signs that indicate that a child may be at risk of harm. They know how to report their concerns about a pupil.

Leaders ensure that comprehensive and accurate records are kept of any safeguarding concerns. They work effectively with external agencies to ensure that vulnerable pupils and their families get the help they need quickly.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves and their friends safe.

They know how to be safe when using the road and when swimming. They are aware of the benefits and dangers of being online.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• A small number of staff do not deliver some aspects of the phonics programme as leaders intend.

This is preventing some pupils from becoming confident and fluent readers as quickly as they could. Leaders should ensure that staff are equipped well to deliver the phonics programme successfully.

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 2013.

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