Our Lady and St Anselm’s Roman Catholic Primary School, Whitworth

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are rightly proud to attend this happy and welcoming school. Staff foster warm relationships with pupils and have high expectations of their learning.

Pupils work hard to successfully meet these expectations. They know that staff will listen to their concerns and help them if they struggle. Pupils enjoy school and achieve well.

Pupils display positive behaviour in lessons and around school. They support and encourage one another in their learning and their play. Children in the early years quickly settle into the routines of the school.

Pupils are determined that everyone is treated equally. They understand that this does not necessarily mean that ever...yone is treated the same. Those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) receive any additional help that they need to participate in all aspects of school life.

Many pupils make a positive contribution to the school community. They take on a variety of leadership roles. For example, the 'growing in faith' team accompany children in the Reception class on their first visits to church, providing reassurance and helping them to understand the expectations and routines.

Sports leaders are trained by a sports coach to lead physical activities at lunchtime and the eco-team focus on improving the school environment.

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

The school is well supported by the governing body to deliver its ambitious vision for pupils' achievement. It has designed a broad and engaging curriculum, which is personalised to suit the school's context.

The school ensures that it promptly identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. It makes suitable adaptations to ensure that these pupils can successfully progress through the curriculum.

The school places a strong emphasis on the importance of reading.

It is determined that no pupil leaves school without this vital skill. Starting in the Reception class, a structured and deliberate phonics programme enables children to progressively build their knowledge of letters and sounds. Throughout the school, staff adopt a consistent and effective approach to develop pupils' reading knowledge.

They identify pupils who find reading more difficult and ensure that they receive the additional help that they need. Pupils practise their reading regularly, using books that match their reading knowledge. This rigorous approach ensures that pupils typically develop into fluent and enthusiastic readers.

In most subjects, the curriculum is well defined. Curriculum content has been broken down into manageable steps that pupils should learn. This helps staff to design learning that builds on what pupils already know.

However, in one or two areas, the small steps of knowledge have not been identified. This hampers the efforts of staff to develop pupils' understanding in these areas. Consequently, some pupils' knowledge of these aspects is not as secure as it should be.

Staff are highly knowledgeable. In most subjects, they use their expertise to design learning that is accessible and engaging. Staff methodically check that pupils' prior knowledge is secure before moving their learning on.

They use effective assessment strategies to identify pupils' misconceptions, acting swiftly to address them before they become embedded.

Throughout school, pupils benefit from a calm and purposeful environment. Staff share clear expectations for the positive behaviours and attitudes that pupils should adopt.

Pupils endeavour to be 'safe, ready, respectful' in classrooms and during social times. Staff go to great lengths to welcome new children into the Reception class. They get to know children well and quickly address any barriers that may hinder their learning.

Parents and carers value regular opportunities to share in their children's learning activities, such as joining in with 'welly walks' in the local area.

The school's work to secure high rates of attendance is successful. Through rapidly identifying and addressing any issues that may limit pupils' attendance, the school ensures that the number of pupils who are regularly absent from school stays low.

The school has a broad and rich programme to support pupils' personal development. Pupils learn to value one another's beliefs and opinions. For example, in art, they are taught to be respectful and considerate when critiquing each other's artwork.

The school places a strong emphasis on developing pupils' knowledge of safety, including online safety. It trains pupil leaders to educate their peers about the potential risks of using the internet and social media, and how to report any concerns when online.

The school's mission, 'growing together in faith hope and love', is equally applied to staff as to pupils.

The school supports staff by seeking out development opportunities and checks that staff have the necessary time to fulfil their roles effectively. Staff enjoy working in the supportive and collegiate environment that the school facilitates.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In one or two areas of the curriculum, the school has not precisely defined the content that pupils should learn. From time to time, this hampers staff's efforts to develop and extend pupils' knowledge. The school should ensure that it clearly defines the intended knowledge that pupils should acquire across the curriculum, so that staff can better support them to learn well.