Our Lady’s Bishop Eton Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this school. The school's values of respect, responsibility and resilience underpin the work that goes on here each day. Pupils benefit from the kind and caring relationships that they have with staff and each other.

Pupils behave very well. They are fully aware of the rewards for, and consequences of, the choices that they make. Children in the Reception Year quickly absorb the routines and rules that help them to learn well in school.

There is a calm and orderly atmosphere in and around the place, both in lessons and at playtimes.

The school is ambitious for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilitie...s (SEND). Pupils are keen to learn and they make the most of the learning opportunities afforded to them.

Typically, pupils achieve well.

The school facilitates clubs and activities to help develop pupils' talents and interests. For example, pupils can participate in drama, judo and sports clubs.

They enjoy the educational visits linked to their studies that bring learning to life. For example, older pupils particularly enjoyed the residential trip that supported them to develop their teamwork skills. Pupils are well prepared for the next stage in their educational journey.

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

The school has created an ambitious curriculum. Pupils learn curriculum subject content well, especially in reading and mathematics. In 2023, pupils' attainment and progress in these subjects were among the highest nationally.

Pupils do not learn as well in other subjects. The school has recognised this and, as such, it continues to refine other subject curriculums to ensure that pupils achieve highly.

The school has identified the important information that pupils will learn.

It has carefully mapped out the key knowledge for most year groups in each subject. Teachers deliver subject content through well-thought-out lessons. These lessons build on pupils' prior understanding, so that the majority of pupils develop secure knowledge over time.

However, in some areas of learning in the early years, the school has not thought carefully enough about the small steps of knowledge and key vocabulary that children should learn. This hampers teachers' efforts to ensure that children learn everything that they need to know.

The school has given reading a high priority.

Experiences such as online author meetings and a range of high-quality reading texts motivate pupils to read widely and often. Pupils spoke enthusiastically about the novels that they had read, including a series of Japanese graphic novels that are read from back to front.

All staff have been trained to deliver the phonics programme consistently well.

In the Reception Year, children start to learn phonics straight away. They quickly gain the necessary knowledge to read books that match the sounds that they know. This continues into Year 1 where, for the most part, the books that pupils read are matched to their phonics knowledge.

However, on occasion, the books that a small number of pupils read do not align as well with the sounds that they have learned. This hinders these pupils in becoming confident and fluent readers as quickly as they should.

The school identifies pupils with SEND in a timely manner.

It ensures that staff receive effective training so that they can support those pupils with additional needs effectively. The school makes sure that pupils with SEND learn from the same curriculum as their peers. This is often done through careful adaptations to curriculum delivery, so that pupils can learn successfully.

As a result, pupils with SEND achieve well.

The school tracks pupils' attendance rigorously. When pupils' attendance falls below the accepted level, the school works with families to provide the right support to bring about improvement.

Attendance rates are high. Pupils enjoy attending school and understand the value of high attendance. Lessons are rarely disrupted by pupils' behaviour.

Pupils are able to focus well on their learning.

Wider opportunities, beyond the academic curriculum, help pupils to broaden their knowledge and be prepared for life in modern Britain. Pupils understand the importance of tolerance and respect for other cultures and faiths.

They understand what makes a healthy relationship. Pupils learn how to debate challenging issues in balanced ways. They also know how to keep themselves physically and mentally well and how to keep themselves safe online.

Governors use their considerable and varied experiences to contribute to the school's ongoing development. They hold leaders to account effectively and make sure that the curriculum is of a high quality. Governors are committed to the school's continued improvement.

The school has carefully considered the impact on staff's workload in the decisions that it makes. For example, the introduction of schemes of work for subjects has reduced the need for staff to source lesson materials. This has had a positive impact on the workload and well-being of staff.

Staff enjoy working at the school. The vast majority of parents and carers hold the school in high regard.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• From time to time, a small number of pupils at the early stages of learning to read are not provided with books that are closely matched to the sounds that they know. This means that some pupils do not learn to read fluently and accurately as swiftly as they could. The school should ensure that these pupils practise their reading using books that are well matched to their phonics knowledge.

• In some areas of learning in the early years, the school has not thought carefully enough about the small steps of knowledge and key vocabulary that children should learn. This prevents some children from acquiring the knowledge and vocabulary that they need to build secure foundations for future learning. The school should determine the small steps of knowledge and vocabulary that children should learn and the order in which this should be taught.