Our Lady and St Peter Catholic Primary School A Catholic Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high ambitions for pupils.

Pupils are keen to take part in their lessons. There is a welcoming environment. Relationships between staff and pupils are positive and supportive.

Pupils feel happy and safe. They like to come to school and attend well. The school has a broad and ambitious curriculum for all pupils.

Pupils are respectful and resilient. They demonstrate these values in lessons, around school and at breaktimes. Behaviour is calm and orderly.

Pupils like to receive the school rewards. Working as a class team to collect rewards is important to them. They enjoy raising money for local charities.

There is a strong cultur...e of kindness and helping others in the school. Pupils know how to manage local risks in their community as well as online.

There are many opportunities for pupils to develop their interest.

They enjoy debating club, where they learn to discuss and listen to the opinions of others. Pupils are keen to take part in sports, such as tag rugby. They understand 'practise makes progress'.

Pupils are well prepared for the competitions they take part in. The school offers a range of visits linked to curriculum themes, these include a residential visit to Edinburgh and trips to museums.

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

The school has implemented a well-designed curriculum.

The curriculum is broad and well sequenced. The school has made sure the curriculum meets the needs of its pupils. There are systems in place to check what pupils can and cannot do.

School and trust leaders have put systems in place to quality assure the curriculum and its implementation. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers. Teachers provide adaptations in lessons, such as specialist equipment and additional support, to help pupils meet their individual targets.

Pupils work purposefully in lessons. In history, for example, pupils talk in depth about people and events from the past. They make links and comparisons over different periods of time.

However, on some occasions pupils are moved on to more complex tasks before they are ready for them.

There is some variation in the quality of pupils' writing. On occasions, the school's actions to support younger pupils' writing skills are not sufficiently impactful.

This limits their ability to complete some writing tasks. The teaching of writing is more successful at key stage 2, where pupils write more effectively to record their thoughts and ideas.

The school has developed a consistent approach to the teaching of early reading.

All adults follow the chosen programme well. Pupils read books that are matched to the sounds they know. Pupils who need to catch up have regular individual lessons.

Reading is celebrated in many ways across the school. Pupils enjoy listening to their teacher read the class reading book each day.

There have been recent changes to the early years curriculum, due to the addition of the new Nursery.

The knowledge and vocabulary that children need have been identified. Children know the routines of the classroom well. Adults and children have positive relationships.

Pupils benefit from the school's personal development programme. This supports pupils' well-being effectively. At playtimes, pupils are confident to play football and basketball.

They understand the benefits of playing sports. Pupils enjoy using the techniques they have learned to keep a healthy mind. They demonstrate a knowledge of different faiths.

Pupils embrace equality of opportunity by welcoming difference. Pupils take on a range of responsibilities in the school. For example, pupils value helping younger children at lunchtimes.

Chaplaincy monitors plan and present to other pupils.

The school sets out how they expect pupils to behave at playtimes, moving around the school and in classes. Pupils know what the expectations are and follow them well.

Trustees and governors have a clear vision for the school. The school is well supported by the trust. Governors and trustees perform their statutory duties well.

They hold school leaders to account effectively. Staff say that leaders consider their needs and prioritise their welfare when introducing new initiatives.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school does not ensure that tasks are sufficiently well matched to pupils' prior knowledge. This means that they are not ready to complete more complex tasks. The school should work with staff so that pupils have the prior learning to complete new tasks and deepen their understanding.

• There is variation in how well the school teaches writing. The teaching of writing skills for younger pupils does not support their development in this area well enough. The school needs to further improve the teaching of early writing so that pupils can write well.