SS. Mary and John’s Catholic Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils wholeheartedly live by the school rules of 'be respectful, be safe, be ready to learn'. They enjoy attending school and have positive attitudes to their learning.

There are caring relationships between pupils and staff. These relationships are underpinned by kindness and mutual respect. Staff know their pupils well, and pupils know who to speak to if they have any worries.

The school's Catholic foundation permeates throughout school life. The school day starts with a prayer and all pupils are invited to take part. The school welcomes many pupils from different cultures and faiths.

It is inclusive and diverse, with many opportunities to celebrate differ...ences such as celebrating international languages, religious festivals and different cultures. Pupils also take part in clubs such as football, choir, dance and bhangra dance.

Pupils have many opportunities to take up leadership roles in school.

The 'eco-warriors' have worked to reduce the use of plastic in school. The 'reading champions' help their peers to select books from the school library matched to their interests. The 'school councillors' organise fundraisers to raise money for charity and collect clothes donations for the children's hospital.

All of this helps pupils to play an active role in the community.

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

The school has been on a journey of improvement. The principal has been recently appointed and has already had a positive impact on the school.

Leaders have used their thorough analysis of this information about the school's work, particularly their behaviour and attendance data, to make sensible changes. As a result of what they have put in place, pupils behave extremely well, and the vast majority attend school daily.

The school is determined that every child will become a confident and fluent reader.

It achieves this well. As soon as children start in Reception, they learn to read. Pupils who struggle to read are given extra support.

This helps them to read with increased confidence and fluency. As a result, pupils catch up with their reading quickly. There are also systems in place to ensure that more advanced readers are given further support to enhance and deepen their reading skills.

The school has designed a structured curriculum to build what pupils will learn from the early years through to Year 6. It identifies what pupils will learn and when they will learn it. However, in some subjects, staff have not had appropriate training to help them identify the core knowledge that pupils need to know and remember and why pupils need to learn it.

This means that in some subjects, some pupils do not progress as well as they could.

Staff use a range of exciting tasks to capture pupils' interests in lessons. This helps pupils to make links between their learning and build on learning over time.

However, in some subjects, some staff do not adapt the lessons to support the differing abilities of pupils in their class. This means that some pupils who need more opportunities to practice new learning are not always able to do so. As a result, these pupils struggle to embed learning securely and do not develop fluency as well as they could.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are accurately identified. The school works closely with families, external agencies and the child to develop strategies that will support the pupil to learn. This information is shared with staff, who then put the strategies into practice.

As a result, pupils with SEND progress well.

The school's personal, social and health education (PSHE) is well planned and sequenced. As soon as pupils join in early years they are taught how to make the right decisions.

PSHE lessons teach pupils about topics such as e-safety and how to make the right choices when online. Pupils also learn about different types of families and what a healthy relationship is. Topics are taught in an age-appropriate way.

The school has strong links with the police who often lead workshops in school to make pupils aware of how to stay safe in the local area. All of this helps pupils to make the right choices and know how to contribute positively to society.

Staff feel well supported and enjoy working at the school.

Leaders have a clear evaluation of the school. They know what is working well and what they need to do to be even better.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the school has not ensured that staff identify the core knowledge that pupils need to know and remember and why pupils need to learn it. This means that some pupils do not progress as well as they could in some subjects. The school should ensure that staff develop their expertise to identify the core knowledge they want pupils to learn in each lesson and that staff understand why this knowledge is crucial to pupils' future learning.

• The school has not ensured that staff always adapt the learning to meet the needs of all pupils. This means that some pupils struggle to embed knowledge securely and do not develop fluency as well as they could. The school should ensure that pupils consolidate and embed the learning securely before introducing new knowledge.

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