Our Lady of Good Help Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy to attend this friendly school where everyone is welcome. Caring relationships between staff and pupils ensure that there is always someone for pupils to talk to. This helps pupils to feel safe and happy.

Pupils are enthusiastic about their learning. They try their best to live up to the high expectations that the school sets for their achievement. As a result, pupils, including those with special needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

Pupils throughout school, including those in the Reception Year, understand the school rules. They proudly follow the school's values to be respectful, proud and safe. This helps the school to be a calm place w...here pupils are valued and treated equally.

A range of opportunities are on offer to support pupils' wider development. After-school activities such as computing and art club, as well as a singing performance club, allow pupils to develop their talents and interests. Pupils appreciate the opportunities to take part in local tournaments such as dodgeball and boys' and girls' football.

They are proud to represent their school in these events.

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

The school has designed a curriculum that is ambitious and interesting. In the vast majority of subjects, it has identified the knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which they should learn it.

However, in a very small minority of subjects, the small steps of learning are not precise enough. This hinders staff in creating learning that helps pupils to build up their knowledge over time.

The school places a high importance on developing staff's subject knowledge.

This allows staff to present and model new learning clearly to pupils. Teachers use assessment strategies effectively to identify what pupils know and can remember over time. Teachers address misconceptions in a timely manner.

The school identifies effectively the additional needs that pupils may have. Staff benefit from helpful training to enable them to adapt the delivery of the curriculum to meet pupils' needs well. Pupils with SEND learn the full curriculum alongside their peers.

The school has ensured that a love of reading is fostered as soon as children start in the early years. In the Reception class, children enjoy listening to well-chosen stories. Older pupils feel inspired by the engaging texts that they study.

Pupils understand the importance of reading. They know that it helps them to learn new words and to gain new ideas to use in their own writing.

Children begin to learn phonics as soon as they begin the Reception Year.

Staff have been very well trained to deliver the phonics programme confidently. Those pupils who may find reading more difficult are identified quickly and extra support is put in place. Most pupils become confident readers by the time they move into key stage 2.

Pupils behave well. They begin to learn the behaviour routines quickly in the Reception class. Behaviour expectations continue throughout school.

Pupils are polite and well mannered. They engage enthusiastically in lessons and are keen to learn.

The school places great importance on high attendance.

Pupils know that they need to be in school in order to learn. For those pupils whose attendance is lower, the school offers support and encouragement to families to bring about improvements. This is having a positive impact.

The school fosters the personal development of its pupils well. Pupils are taught to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Visits and visitors into school are used to widen pupils' experiences and support their learning across a range of subjects.

Pupils relish these opportunities and appreciate how they contribute to their learning.

Pupils take on a range of leadership roles. These include working as prefects, 'good helpers', or school councillors.

Pupils greatly appreciate the support provided by the 'well-being warriors' who help pupils to enjoy their lunchtimes in 'Sarah's garden', which is a special place for staff and pupils to reflect and remember people close to them. Pupils realise that such responsibilities help prepare them well for secondary school.

Governors know the school well.

They are committed to securing the best outcomes for pupils. They hold the school to account for the quality of education its pupils receive in a variety of ways.

Staff are proud to work at the school.

They appreciate the time given to them to complete additional tasks. Changes to the marking and feedback policy have had a positive impact on staff workload and well-being. Parents and carers are extremely positive about the school, and those who shared their views with inspectors described it as 'their family'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a very small minority of subjects, the school has not ensured that the small steps of knowledge are clearly identified and sequenced in order for pupils to build logically on what they already know. The school should ensure that these subject curriculums are further refined so that staff are clear about the essential knowledge that pupils should learn and the order in which to learn it.