Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Primary

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud of their efforts to make their school and its community a better place. Pupils learn to be active citizens who make a positive contribution. For example, they care for the school grounds and collect food for the local food bank as eco-councillors and 'chaplaincy team' representatives.

Pupils display the school's values through their actions. They are kind, thoughtful and respectful towards each other.

The school, through its revised curriculum, has raised expectations of what pupils can achieve.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are appropriately supported to achieve well in most subjects. Nevertheless, pupils d...o not learn as effectively in some subjects. The school rightly recognises there is more to do to ensure pupils attain the best outcomes across the curriculum.

The school's personal development provision for pupils is well thought out. Pupils benefit from pastoral support such as the 'military Monday club'. Pupils feel safe and well supported.

They trust staff to help them when needed. Pupils learn to understand and appreciate difference. Bullying is rare as pupils know how to be a good friend.

Pupils are well behaved and enjoy active playtimes together. Pupils recommend the school as a place where you will have lots of friends.

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

The trust is committed to investing in pupils' education.

For example, staff benefit from high-quality training. Trust and school leaders have accurately identified the priority areas for school development. They have made changes to key aspects of the school's work.

For example, the school has refined the curriculum in English and mathematics. This has made a positive difference to pupils' achievement in these subjects.

Much of the school's curriculum is well sequenced and taught effectively.

However, this work is not complete for all subjects in Years 1 to 6. In some subjects, there is too much variation in how well the curriculum is sequenced and implemented. This is particularly the case in mixed-age classes.

As a result, teaching sometimes misses important content needed for future learning. In subjects where the curriculum is not delivered well, teachers' checks on pupils' learning are less effective. When this occurs, support for pupils with SEND is not as well considered as it should be.

In these subjects, the curriculum is not adjusted well enough to meet pupils' needs. This affects how well pupils build their knowledge and skills over time. Pupils cannot make connections between important concepts in these subjects.

The school makes learning to read well a priority. Staff have secure phonics knowledge. They use this to check pupils' learning and rectify errors effectively.

Pupils who need additional help to secure their phonics knowledge are quickly identified. Appropriate support ensures pupils catch up with their peers.

A love of reading is promoted, such as through sharing high-quality texts.

Older pupils know how reading helps them to improve their subject knowledge and choice of words when writing and speaking. The school ensures that pupils build their reading fluency and comprehension effectively.

The Reception Year curriculum is carefully sequenced to build children's knowledge and skills.

Staff use the indoor and outdoor learning environment to skilfully support children to practise the curriculum's important skills and knowledge. For example, hopscotch and threading laces contribute to children's physical development. Children complete learning activities independently as resources are readily available and routines are established.

The school checks children's learning effectively. Staff use this information well to provide additional support to children whenever it is needed. This addresses any gaps in children's learning effectively.

By the end of Reception, children are well prepared for their learning in Year 1.

Pupils have a strong recall of the school's values and how these relate to fundamental British values. Pupils explore people's that are lives different from their own and learn to appreciate these differences.

They talk with confidence and knowledge about the many religions practised in Britain. Pupils are taught about the importance of respect and safe relationships. They know how to be physically and mentally healthy.

Pupils benefit from nurturing relationships with all staff. Staff have high expectations for pupils' behaviour. Some pupils have additional support, helping them recognise and respond to their feelings appropriately.

As a result, pupils regulate their emotions and play well with and alongside their peers. Pupils enjoy school, and most attend school regularly. The school works alongside families to ensure pupils attend school as often as possible.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not sequenced the important content it wants pupils to know and remember in some subjects. This is particularly the case in mixed-age classes.

This affects how well the curriculum in these subjects is implemented. It sometimes leads to important content being missed. The trust should support the school in identifying and carefully sequencing the essential knowledge it wants pupils to know and remember in these subjects so that pupils learn as well as they should.

• In some subjects, teaching is not routinely adapted well to meet pupils' needs. The activities completed and the resources given do not help pupils secure new knowledge as well as they could. The school should ensure that, in these subjects, teaching enables pupils to progress well through the curriculum.

• In some foundation subjects, the school's checks on pupils' learning do not identify well enough gaps in pupils' knowledge and understanding. This makes it harder for pupils to build on prior knowledge when learning new subject content. The trust should ensure the school accurately identifies what pupils know and can do, what knowledge gaps need addressing and what they need to learn next.