Our Lady and St Philip Neri Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

Our Lady and St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this school. Everyone gets on well. Leaders have high expectations of every child.

Pupils appreciate the support provided by adults when they find things difficult. They told me that this really helps to improve their learning. An impressive number play in the school brass band.

As well as playing in school, the band also plays at prestigious venues and supports the local hospice by playing at their Christmas events.

Pupils get a lot from going on school trips. Pupils told me that they are really looking forward to the... Year 6 visit to the Isle of Wight.

They also said that they feel well prepared for this expedition because of shorter trips earlier in their school career.

Leaders' expectations for pupils' behaviour are high, including for their conduct when walking along the corridors. Lessons are hardly ever disrupted by poor behaviour.

Pupils understand and follow the school rules. If bullying does happen, adults are quick to ensure that pupils understand and improve their behaviour. Pupils told me that they are kept safe and that they like the way that leaders guide them for later life.

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

Leaders have revised how different subjects are taught. They have introduced new resources to make pupils' learning more knowledge-based. Learning has been planned and documented so that pupils will acquire important subject knowledge, step-by-step, as they move through the school.

This new way of planning has already brought improvements to pupils' learning in geography and history. These are subjects that were identified as priorities for this year by school leaders. Leaders are now applying the same approach to science.

The new history programme matches the expectations of the national curriculum. Pupils use knowledge learned to understand how different people, across the ages, have influenced the world. They also learn about important social and moral issues, such as the slave trade and the British empire.

Pupils regularly visit local museums to learn about different cultures. For example, during a recent visit to a local museum, pupils compared different African cultures.

The mathematics curriculum is also planned and taught in an ordered way, including in the early years and key stage 1.

A good example of this was seen in the way that pupils in Reception were learning to count from one to 20 using a number line. Pupils in Year 1 were then building on this by using 'bonding' to add numbers together. Year 2 pupils were then using 'partitioning' to work out problems using much bigger numbers.

This methodical approach means that pupils leave Year 2 with secure knowledge and the confidence needed to tackle the demands of Years 3 to 6.

Adults have a consistent approach to reporting and following up behaviour incidents. Staff say that this is why pupils' behaviour is positive.

Teachers feel supported when dealing with pupils' behaviour because leaders work closely with staff.

Children in the early years receive daily phonics lessons. All pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), read books that are suited to their reading level.

Those falling behind, including disadvantaged pupils, receive support that quickly bridges gaps in learning. Well-trained staff support pupils' wider reading. Pupils take an interest in and care about their reading because teachers read interesting stories to them.

Key stage 2 pupils make connections between different authors. They discussed the role of elves in A Midsummer Night's Dream compared to The Lord of the Rings. Pupils understand an author's intentions and how a story is built up around the characters.

Staff are supported by leaders and receive training that matches their needs. Leaders help new staff to gain quickly the skills to help them to deliver the school curriculum well. Staff are given the time to complete their lesson preparation and value the help from leaders.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective. Leaders understand the local community and the types of safeguarding issues that pupils face. Safer recruitment is important for leaders.

During recent building works, leaders ensured that pupils remained safe through careful risk assessment.

Pupils feel safe at school. They understand how the school rules keep them from harm.

Pupils understand how to stay safe when away from the school, for example when sending e-mails. They have learned about cyber bullying and confidently told me what they would do if they feel threatened.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders have identified areas of the curriculum that need further development.

They are ambitious for all subject areas. Programmes of study are well planned in English and in mathematics. Leaders have made good progress with revising the way that geography and history are planned and taught.

They are now working in a similar way with science. Leaders must continue to monitor the impact of this work so that pupils' work in science matches that in other subjects in the school.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good school or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence that the school could now be better than good or that standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the first section 8 inspection since we judged Our Lady and St Philip Neri Roman Catholic Primary School to be good on 3–4 February 2015.

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