Mount Carmel Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Since the previous inspection, the school's leaders, including the governors, have managed to maintain good teaching. This is despite substantial changes in staffing at all levels.

Leaders have created a positive ethos where pupils thrive and parents feel welcome. They have achieved stability and the school is now well placed to improve further. Pupils' good attainment has been maintained and has been well above average in reading, writing and mathematics for the past three years.

Children in the early years provision reach above average standards thanks to a vibrant and stimulating environment and effective teaching. Pupils make good pr...ogress from their different starting points. They have very positive attitudes and enjoy learning.

Pupils feel safe and are confident that staff have their best interests at heart. They behave well and show consideration for each other around the school. Bullying is rare and parents agree that the school is a warm and friendly community.

The school is ably led by the headteacher who promotes a strong set of shared values which contribute well to the pupils' understanding of life in modern Britain. Their spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is good. It is not yet an outstanding school because : The most-able pupils do not reach the higher levels at the end of Years 2 and 6, particularly in writing.

Teachers do not sufficiently challenge or engage the most-able pupils.

Information about this school

Mount Carmel is much larger than the average-sized primary school. Children in the early years are taught in a part-time Nursery and two full-time Reception classes.

Nearly half of the pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic backgrounds, the largest group being Any Other White. About half of the pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds speak English as an additional language. The pupil premium provides support for about one in 20 pupils, which is below the national average.

The pupil premium is additional funding for disadvantaged pupils who are in the care of the local authority or known to be eligible for free school meals. The proportion of disabled pupils and those who have special educational needs is about one in 20, below the national average. The breakfast club and after-school clubs are not managed by the governing body and are inspected separately.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6. Since the previous inspection, a new headteacher and assistant headteacher have been appointed. There have also been significant changes in teaching staff, including those with extra responsibilities.

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