Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a happy and inclusive school. The school's ethos, rooted in the mission statement 'Love one another as I have loved you', creates a nurturing and ambitious environment, where children get off to a strong start in the early years, supported by staff who build warm and caring relationships. Leaders have high expectations for pupils in all areas of learning.

Pupils work hard and want to do well. Pupils' achievement by the end of Year 6 is generally strong.

Pupils embark on a rich, personal development journey at this school.

They embrace various leadership roles, such as 'well-being warriors', and take pride in contributing to the life of the school. Thr...ough activities such as promoting recycling and organising charitable events, they make a positive difference in the community. Collectively, these leadership roles empower pupils to contribute to the school and wider community.

The school has high expectations of behaviour and many pupils are enthusiastic to learn. However, on occasions, these expectations are not met. When this happens, pupils can become distracted from their learning.

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

The school has developed a broad and generally ambitious curriculum. It is well structured and learning builds sequentially from the early years to Year 6. At times, teachers' delivery of the curriculum is not in line with the school's ambition.

This has been hampered by staffing instability. Sometimes, the activities that pupils are given do not support the intended learning as well as they should. When this happens, pupils do not develop the deep body of knowledge that they need for their future learning.

Reading is a high priority. Staff have been given high-quality professional development and, as a result, consistently follow the school's approach to teaching phonics. This impacts positively on pupils, who quickly learn the sounds that letters make to read words.

Pupils have regular and structured time to practise reading books that are closely matched to the sounds they are learning. Pupils who struggle with reading receive support. This helps them to catch up and read with confidence and success.

The school has seen a recent increase in the number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). It has been quick to respond to this change. Staff accurately identify pupils' needs and seek external advice, when necessary.

The school has clear systems in place to identify any pupils with SEND as early as possible. Leaders continue to support teachers to develop effective ways to adapt learning for pupils with SEND within lessons. Staff receive suitable training to help them to cater for pupils' individual needs.

As a result, pupils with SEND receive the help that they need to achieve well in most subjects.

The school has robust procedures to ensure that every pupil is well supported to attend school. This is treated as a priority.

The school works well with parents and carers to help them understand the importance of pupils attending school regularly. As a result, pupils attend well and fewer pupils are persistently absent from school.

Pupils benefit from a clearly structured personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum.

The curriculum for PSHE is sequenced with care. Pupils, including children in the early years, are taught to work together, listen to each other and respect different points of view. Pupils' knowledge of democracy and equality is strong.

Most pupils behave well and respect each other. However sometimes, pupils disrupt learning, and teachers do not manage this misbehaviour as effectively as they should.

Since the previous inspection, there have been significant changes to staffing, leadership and governance.

Staffing instability has contributed to some inconsistency in the implementation of the curriculum. Leaders are working to address this. Governance is improving and the governing body has a secure understanding of the school's strengths and priorities for further improvement.

Staff appreciate the consideration given by leaders to their workload. The school has benefited from the support of a local cluster of schools, the mathematics and English hubs, and the local authority.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Staffing instability has contributed to some shortcomings in the implementation of the curriculum. This means that, at times, teaching is not well matched to pupils' needs and pupils' tasks are not sharply focused enough on the intended learning. The school should ensure effective oversight of curriculum implementation so that it is delivered as the school intends.

• Sometimes, teachers are not as consistent as they should be in adopting the school's approach to managing pupils' behaviour. Consequently, pupils' misbehaviour can lead to distracting others from their learning. The school should ensure that its expectations for behaviour are consistently applied by all staff.