Our Lady of Dolours Catholic Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils here belong to a happy and inclusive school.

They treat each other with respect and kindness. Pupils value the help they get from their teachers and from other adults. Indeed, staff care deeply about the pupils and want to give them the best possible start in life.

Leaders also build trusting relationships with pupils' families. This is a true community school.

Leaders have high aspirations for pupils.

They believe all can achieve well, and seek to instil self-belief in pupils. Pupils enjoy learning and work hard. They particularly enjoy trips to museums and other places of cultural interest.

These enrich pupils' education.Pupils beha...ve well. Leaders have established a clear set of routines that help to create a calm and orderly school.

Central to these routines are the school's three golden rules: 'safe, learn, respect'. As pupils get older, they take an increasing responsibility for their own actions.Leaders give high priority to pupils' personal development.

Pupils take on responsibilities acting as school councillors, eco-warriors and rights respecting officers. They are taught about democracy through the election of a school mayor. Also, pupils take part in charity work, both locally and globally.

Leaders provide a range of clubs that pupils can join, including various sports and art.

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

Leaders have designed a broad and ambitious curriculum. They have identified the essential knowledge and skills that they want pupils to learn.

The curriculum is well sequenced. Pupils build up their knowledge and understanding as they move through the school. In early years, leaders have established a rich and purposeful learning environment.

Children's learning centres around core texts such as 'The Gruffalo'. This helps to motivate children and engages them in their learning. They also learn the mathematical knowledge they need for Year 1.

From Year 1 onwards, further development of the curriculum in some subjects would help deepen and extend pupils' learning.

Reading is a priority for leaders. From the start of Reception, pupils learn to read using phonics.

By the end of Year 1, a high proportion of pupils read with accuracy. Pupils continue to develop their fluency in Year 2 and many begin to read with expression. Pupils who need extra help with their reading get it.

They work individually and in small groups with adults and practise sounds which they find difficult. This helps them to secure their phonic knowledge. Leaders select texts that reflect pupils' backgrounds.

Pupils develop a love for reading through library and author visits, a world book week and various reading competitions. They enjoy reading, and read a wide range of books and poetry.

Teachers structure learning well.

They revisit what pupils have learned before and build on this. Sometimes, in Years 1 to 6, teachers' choice of activity is not as effective as it could be in securing pupils' learning. However, pupils remember what they have learned.

They produce work of a high quality. Leaders do not tolerate disruption to learning. Adults use the school's behaviour policy to good effect in ensuring this.

Leaders work well with external agencies to improve the attendance of those pupils who are often absent.

Leaders identify pupils' needs with speed and precision. They ensure that they provide the specific help that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) need.

Leaders involve appropriate external agencies in the training and development of staff. Adults who support pupils with SEND do so with skill. A high proportion of pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers.

Pupils, including those with SEND, achieve well.

Leaders provide well for pupils' broader development. In early years, children learn to cooperate with each other and show resilience.

They make good use of a suitable range of equipment and resources. This supports their physical development. Leaders have established a comprehensive personal development programme in Years 1 to 6.

Pupils learn about important issues, such as relationships and equality and diversity, in a considered and age-appropriate way. Leaders use assemblies to provide pupils with time to reflect on the world and consider other people.

Leaders are giving pupils a high-quality education.

They involve parents and carers in their child's education. Leaders also help to secure appropriate support for the most vulnerable families. Governors share leaders' commitment to pupils and the wider school community.

They fulfil their role and responsibilities well. Staff enjoy working here. They are part of a collaborative team.

Leaders value staff, prioritise their well-being and ensure that their workload is manageable.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have established a strong culture of safeguarding.

Staff receive regular training and updates. They are knowledgeable about local safeguarding risks and alert to the signs of risk in pupils. Staff report any concerns about pupils swiftly.

Leaders have developed effective relationships with a wide range of external agencies. They are relentless in their efforts to secure the help pupils need. Also, they work with parents to raise their awareness of risks to their child.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe, including online. Leaders ensure that pupils build up their safeguarding knowledge in an age-appropriate way.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some foundation subjects, leaders have not planned precisely enough for progression in pupils' acquisition of knowledge and skills.

As a result, pupils do not systematically develop an increasingly deep and more complex understanding of these subjects as they move through the school. Leaders should ensure that they develop the curriculum in these subjects further, so that teachers are provided with the information they need to develop pupils' subject knowledge and skills with increasing depth and complexity. Leaders should also ensure that they provide teachers with pedagogical training and development so that teachers know how best to secure pupils' knowledge and understanding in these subjects.