Mount Carmel RC Primary School, a Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive and feel happy at this wonderful school. Relationships between adults and pupils are remarkably strong and caring.

Pupils are proud of their school, particularly the inclusive and harmonious environment which is welcoming to all and nurtures pupils' individual talents.

The school is highly ambitious for pupils to succeed, including disadvantaged pupils and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils are curious and keen learners.

They have a strong appetite to improve their knowledge. Pupils achieve exceptionally well. They are superbly prepared for the next stage of their learning.

Pupils' behaviour is excel...lent. In the early years, children settle quickly into school routines and rules. Older pupils enjoy working and playing alongside younger pupils, serving as excellent role models.

Classrooms are calm and purposeful. Pupils learn to be respectful, confident and articulate when expressing their thoughts and views.

Pupils benefit from the impressive and wide-ranging experiences that enrich their personal development.

They take great pride in their many responsibilities, for example as science ambassadors, house captains and school councillors. A rich variety of visits and after-school activities enhances their learning across the curriculum. For example, Year 6 pupils compared their well-developed understanding of present-day equality and diversity with historic treatment of boys and girls during the Victorian era.

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

The school has developed a clear and strategic vision linked to the school's values. It has an extensive overview of the impact that the subject curriculums have on pupils' achievements. Trustees and governors are skilled and know the school well.

They work closely with the school and provide effective support and challenge to ensure that pupils achievement is high.

The school has designed an ambitious curriculum which meets the needs of the diverse school population. The curriculum carefully sets out the knowledge and vocabulary that pupils should learn across all year groups.

Children get off to a flying start in the early years. Pupils relish talking about and explaining the work that they are doing. The school builds highly positive relationships with parents and carers from the start of the children's learning journey.

Staff use their strong subject knowledge and well-established strategies to enable pupils to effectively secure and recall their learning. For example, additional teaching and revisiting prior learning helps pupils to build a secure understanding of new concepts and make links across and within subjects. Pupils' knowledge and understanding is checked before they move on to new curriculum content.

Any misconceptions are addressed swiftly and successfully. This helps pupils to develop deep and rich knowledge over time.

Learning to read is a priority.

Pupils develop their love of reading from the beginning of their time in the Nursery class through rhymes and songs. Staff deliver the well-ordered phonics programme effectively. They make sure that children in the early years, and pupils in key stage 1, read from books that include the sounds that they have already learned.

Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who are not keeping up with the programme and help them to catch up quickly. At the phonics screening check in 2024, pupils' outcomes were in line with the national picture. Current pupils, though, have a strong and secure knowledge and understanding of the sounds that they have learned.

They are able to successfully apply this knowledge to their reading. Older pupils talk confidently and enthusiastically about the books that they enjoy reading.

The school very effectively identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest possible opportunity.

Staff check carefully that appropriate support is in place for these pupils as they move through the school. Pupils with SEND participate in all aspects of school life and achieve very well.

Pupils' behaviour is excellent.

They follow routines impeccably. Pupils are resilient when faced with challenges. They work hard during lessons.

Pupils are respectful, determined and focused. The school has developed clear procedures to manage pupils' attendance and punctuality. As a result, most pupils attend school regularly and on time.

The programme to support pupils' personal development is exceptional. The school has thought carefully about the qualities and values that it wants to instil into pupils. It ensures that pupils develop into respectful, caring and considerate individuals, with a strong sense of moral and social purpose.

Pupils value the incredibly wide range of leadership opportunities available to them. These enable them to make positive improvements to the pupils' experience of school, such as through the school council. Pupils develop a deep understanding of healthy lifestyles and online safety.

It supports pupils to be exceptionally well prepared for life beyond school.

The school has created a culture of ambition and continuous improvement for staff and pupils alike. Staff are proud to work at the school.

They value the strong relationships and teamwork with their colleagues. The school considers staff's workload to help them to fulfil their responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.