Our Lady of Victories Catholic School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Leaders, including trust leaders and governors, have taken swift and effective action to address the weaknesses in safeguarding that were identified at the last inspection.

As a result, arrangements for safeguarding are now effective.

Leaders have high expectations and ambition for all pupils. However, sometimes their vision is not realised in practice because they have not checked that what they wanted to happen is actually happening.

For example, there are some inconsistencies in the way that adults listen to pupils read and in the application of the behaviour policy in some classes.

Pupils speak very positively about behaviour in school. They are ...clear that bullying and discrimination are not tolerated.

For the most part, pupils behave very well, both in lessons and during less-structured times. Younger pupils sometimes find it difficult to meet adults' high expectations. They do not always respond quickly to adults' instructions or demonstrate high levels of self-control.

There is a very broad extra-curricular offer in place in the school. Leaders have developed an approach called 'I collect', which aims to provide pupils with a wide range of memorable experiences before they leave primary school. Some of these experiences include travelling by train, aeroplane and car to various places such as Amsterdam, Paris and London.

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

Leaders have designed an ambitious curriculum. The curriculums in many subjects, such as mathematics and history, are coherently sequenced and leaders have thought about how pupils' knowledge will build over time. Teachers plan sequences of lessons that break learning down into small steps.

This helps pupils to remember what they have been taught. Teachers use ongoing assessment effectively in the core subjects. In some wider curriculum subjects, for example geography, leaders are working on how to make better use of assessment to inform and adapt teaching.

The curriculum in the early years takes account of children's starting points and the context of the school. Leaders have thought carefully about what they want children to know and be able to do by the time they leave Reception. Opportunities for early writing and mathematics are plentiful within the setting.

Pupils benefit from positive relationships with adults. Adults focus heavily on developing children's early language and communication skills.

This is an inclusive school.

Leaders are determined that pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same opportunities as their peers. Provision for pupils with SEND is generally well matched to their needs. However, some targets on pupil passports are too broad.

This means that some pupils may not get the precise support that they need to enable them to reach their full potential.

Teaching children to read is a priority for leaders. The phonics programme starts in Nursery, where children are encouraged to be aware of environmental sounds and participate in songs, rhymes and stories.

More-formal phonics teaching starts in Reception. All staff have been trained in how to teach the programme. The books that pupils read are matched well to the sounds that they know.

Pupils who are struggling with learning to read are supported to catch up. However, there are some inconsistencies in the quality of this provision. Older pupils speak positively about reading.

They particularly enjoyed a recent visit to the local library where they had the chance to meet a published author.

Many pupils demonstrate positive attitudes to learning and behave well in lessons. The behaviour of older pupils is a particular strength.

They are keen to embody the school's values of love, forgiveness, trust and acceptance.

Leaders prioritise pupils' personal development. There are a wide range of after-school clubs on offer, for example quiz club, football and choir.

Some clubs are run at the request of pupils. Pupils can choose to take on a leadership role, such as being school mayor, part of the school council or a playground buddy. The school plays an active role in the local community.

Leaders have formed links with local community groups and charities and hold events in school to support these. Pupils appreciate the broad range of opportunities that are on offer to them.

Since the last inspection, governors have taken their role seriously and have worked with school leaders to bring about rapid improvement, particularly in relation to safeguarding arrangements.

Trust leaders recognise that there is still some work to do to strengthen governance. However, governors do fulfil their statutory duties. Trust leaders have an accurate view of the school's current position.

Staff speak positively about working in the school. A minority of staff feel that leaders could support them more effectively.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Governors, trust leaders and school leaders have acted quickly to improve safeguarding policies and procedures. Thorough processes are now in place to ensure that the right staff are recruited to the school. Governors regularly check the single central record and safeguarding logs to validate what leaders tell them.

Staff safeguarding training is up to date. Leaders send staff regular safeguarding quizzes and updates to ensure that safeguarding is a high priority. Staff are alert to the signs and symptoms of abuse.

They are clear about how to report and record concerns about both pupils and adults who work in the school.

Pupils are taught about how to keep themselves safe through the curriculum. Leaders enlist the help of external agencies, such as the police and fire service, to help teach pupils about local risks and to support families where necessary.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The targets on some support plans for pupils with SEND are not specific enough. This means that pupils may not get the precise support that they need to enable them to achieve the best possible outcomes. Leaders should ensure that staff are trained in how to write targets that are specific, measurable and time-bound.

• Leaders' ambitious vision is not currently realised because they do not consistently check the quality of some of the practice in school. This applies to leaders at all levels. There are some inconsistencies and variability in the way that things are done or taught in the school.

For example, there are some inconsistencies in the strategies that adults use when they are listening to pupils read and the application of the behaviour policy is not consistent across all classes. This means that some pupils may not achieve their full potential. Leaders should ensure that they make regular checks on the quality of practice within the school so that they have a clear, strategic oversight of where improvements might need to be made.