Holy Rood Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school motto 'live, love, learn' is at the heart of this school. Pupils enjoy attending.

They are keen to learn and achieve well. Pupils behave well. They are polite and courteous to visitors.

Children settle in well to Nursery and Reception. They are well cared for and nurtured.

Pupils enjoy a wide range of clubs.

Pupils relish taking on leadership responsibilities. They talk enthusiastically about being members of the school council and the eco-council. Pupils have respectful and tolerant attitudes towards those with different faiths and cultural backgrounds.

Bullying is rare. When it does happen, staff deal with this well. The vast ma...jority of parents who made their views known to inspectors believe that bullying is dealt with well.

A few parents do not share this view.

Pupils enjoy reading and they read often. They particularly enjoy story time at the end of the day.

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum to ensure that it is broad and balanced. However, curriculum plans in some subjects, such as history and science, are not developed well enough. Leaders are addressing this.

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

Leaders have high aspirations and ambitions for all pupils, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Staff have high expectations of what pupils can and should achieve. Pupils' achievement in reading, writing and mathematics has improved since the last inspection.

Teachers have good subject knowledge. They use assessment increasingly well to check pupils' understanding. Teachers provide opportunities for pupils to revisit previous learning so that they remember more over time.

Leaders have reviewed the curriculum and introduced new curriculum plans in every subject. These plans outline what pupils should learn and when. The plans are well developed in reading, writing and mathematics.

In some of the foundation subjects, and in the early years, there is variability in the quality of curriculum plans. For example, in history, most topics are in a logical order but links between topics have not been fully considered. Some curriculum leaders have not received enough subject-specific training so that they can develop these plans further and check on the implementation of these plans.

Leaders are taking action to address this.

Leaders prioritise reading. Children get off to a good start with reading in the early years.

Staff are trained so that they can deliver the school's phonics programme well. The weakest readers receive support so that they catch up quickly. The school provides workshops for parents so that they can support their children to read at home.

From the early years to Year 6, staff read to pupils at the end of each day. Class stories are selected to develop pupils' vocabulary and interests.

Children in the early years get off to a positive start with their learning.

Staff ensure that activities stimulate children's interest. Children enjoy listening to and repeating familiar rhymes and stories. The environment is well organised and resourced.

Children are encouraged to be independent. They are confident in their learning. Some adults are new to supporting children in the early years.

Some staff do not check children's understanding of what they have learned well enough. Leaders have already planned training to improve this.

Pupils are keen to contribute to discussions and debates.

They show positive attitudes towards their learning. Pupils enjoy writing for different audiences and purposes. In English lessons, pupils used their class text as a stimulus to help them with their writing.

They work hard to edit and improve their writing.

Pupils with SEND are generally well supported. However, targets on the plans to support some pupils with SEND are not as precise as they should be so that adults can support pupils' learning to best effect.

There is a well-considered curriculum for pupils' personal development. There is a strong focus on supporting pupils to be resilient. An inspector saw pupils putting this into action in mathematics lessons.

Pupils were confident to try more difficult problems and learn from their mistakes.

Pupils' attendance dipped last year. This year attendance has improved and is in line with the national average.

Leaders understand the need to continue to work with families to improve the attendance of pupils who are regularly absent from school.

Staff who made their views known to inspectors enjoy working at the school. They feel well supported by senior leaders and governors.

Staff morale is high.

Leaders and governors value the support they receive from the local authority. This has helped the school to make the necessary improvements since the last inspection.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders and governors ensure that all staff receive appropriate and regular safeguarding training. Staff understand the crucial role they play in keeping pupils safe.

Staff pass on any concerns they may have about pupils, no matter how small. Pupils say there is always someone in school they can talk to if they have any concerns. There is a 'worry box' in each classroom.

Pupils are encouraged to share their feelings.

Leaders ensure that pupils learn how to keep themselves safe. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe online.

Pupils told inspectors that a recent visit from the local police helped them to understand how to keep safe on bonfire night.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Curriculum plans have been developed in all foundation subjects. However, in some, the links between the curriculum offered in early years and key stage 1 are not explicit enough.

Occasionally, the links between topics in different subject areas have not been defined clearly enough. Leaders are well into the process of bringing this about. Senior leaders should ensure that curriculum leaders develop the curriculum plans further so that pupils can benefit from a coherent, well-sequenced curriculum across every subject.

. Targets set for pupils with SEND are not consistently precise. Leaders need to ensure that targets are clear and specific so that staff can support this group of pupils to make the best progress possible.

. A higher than average proportion of pupils are persistently absent from school. While overall attendance has improved, leaders should continue to work with families to improve attendance further.

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