Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Primary School, Shotton

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's Catholic foundation permeates throughout school life. There are caring relationships between pupils and staff. These relationships are underpinned by kindness and mutual respect.

Staff know their pupils well and work successfully to help them. Pupils support each other to love, learn and grow as one family.

The school is ambitious for pupils to achieve well in their academic studies and personal lives.

In national assessments in 2023, pupils generally performed well, particularly in reading and writing. Great emphasis is placed on pupils' personal and character development. Pupils take on leadership roles, support in the local community and parti...cipate in a range of activities to extend their learning beyond the classroom.

The school is fully inclusive. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have the same valuable opportunities as their friends. The school promotes a range of different career opportunities.

These build pupils' aspirations and help them understand the contribution they can make to the wider world. Pupils are keen to learn. They enjoy their time in school.

Pupils' behaviour is outstanding. They demonstrate excellent behaviour in lessons and on the playground. They work hard and enjoy their learning.

Pupils are friendly and courteous to everyone. They are welcoming to visitors and are eager to share what is special about their school.

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

The school's ambitious and broad curriculum is designed to inspire and motivate pupils.

This curriculum is progressive and well sequenced. Essential knowledge, skills and vocabulary are carefully considered for each subject. The school has set out what pupils will learn and when they should learn it.

The school's approach to teaching phonics helps pupils to become confident readers. Reading is a priority across the school. Staff are well trained.

They deliver the school's phonics programme effectively. Pupils practise reading using books that are carefully matched to the sounds they know. This helps them to build fluency and confidence in reading.

Pupils who fall behind in reading are provided with extra help. This is effective in enabling pupils to catch up quickly.

Teachers have strong knowledge of the subjects that they teach.

They regularly revisit learning so that pupils remember it. Staff frequently check what pupils know and remember. They adapt future teaching to address gaps in pupils' knowledge.

For example, in art and design, pupils build on prior learning to develop as artists and to evaluate their own work.

The school uses carefully chosen activities in reading and mathematics to help pupils to learn well. However, sometimes in a few foundation subjects, the chosen activities are not as well selected and do not fully support the intended learning.

As a result, pupils sometimes find it harder to learn new information or achieve as well as they could.

The curriculum in early years is coherently planned and sequenced. The school has thought carefully about what children need to know to ensure that they are ready for Year 1.

There is a clear focus on vocabulary, communication, language and literacy. Children develop a range of important skills, such as listening to others and speaking with confidence. Children are well prepared for key stage 1.

The additional needs of pupils with SEND are accurately identified. Effective training has helped staff to support pupils with SEND. There is strong collaboration with external agencies and the school to ensure that specialist, professional support is available for those pupils who require it.

This helps pupils with SEND to achieve well.

Behaviour across the school is exemplary. There is a calm and friendly atmosphere.

Pupils are engaged and attentive during lessons. Strong routines are taught explicitly. Pupils know what is expected of them and rise to the high expectations that staff have of them.

Attendance is a priority. There are robust procedures in place to monitor pupils' absence. Leaders support families well when barriers to attending school arise.

This valuable work is helping to improve attendance.

Pupils' personal development is central to the curriculum. The school provides a range of opportunities to broaden pupils' horizons, these enhance the curriculum.

For example, pupils enjoy sports clubs, trips and the opportunity to learn a musical instrument. The school has strong links with the police and fire brigade, who often lead workshops in school to help pupils understand how to stay safe in the local area.

The school places a high priority on pupils' personal development.

The school successfully supports pupils to build their resilience, independence and confidence. Pupils are keen to take on positions of responsibility. This includes being members of the school council, Mini Vinnies or buddies.

Pupils feel listened to and say that their ideas are taken seriously.

Staff are dedicated to, and passionate about their school community. They work with the trust to continuously improve in order to enhance the life chances of pupils.

Staff have forged strong relationships across the federation. The new subject leadership model means that staff expertise can be shared more widely. Staff value and appreciate these changes.

All staff are proud to work at the school. They believe that school leaders care about their workload and well-being.

Those responsible for governance show dedication and passion to their role.

They are highly ambitious and effectively support school leaders' work. .

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Occasionally, the learning activities provided for pupils and children, including those in the early years, do not match the intended learning. This does not always enable some pupils to learn key knowledge and skills securely. The school should ensure that tasks are well matched to the intended learning and help pupils' knowledge and skills to securely build over time.