Saint Edmund’s Roman Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils feel safe and cared for at Saint Edmund's.

The values of the school, underpinned by tenets of the Catholic faith, are at the heart of all pupils do. One pupil said, 'you don't have to pray but you do have to respect those that want to'. This exemplifies the respectful and inclusive ethos of the school.

Pupils behave well. They are courteous to one another and to adults. They speak with confidence and are eager to share their views.

School routines help create a warm, harmonious atmosphere. Bullying is very rare. Staff take effective action if it does happen.

Leaders have high expectations of all pupils. However, parts of the curriculum are not... clear enough about what pupils should learn. Consequently, pupils do not learn as much as they could.

Many pupils have leadership roles. The pupil-led chaplaincy service develops their leadership skills. Year 6 pupils read with children in Reception Year to help them develop a love of reading.

This helps younger children build positive relationships and feel included. Pupils develop their interests, talents and characters through the activities the school provides.

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

All pupils follow a broad curriculum.

Where this is well sequenced, pupils know and remember more. However, where essential knowledge is not clearly identified, pupils do not learn as much as they should. The curriculum for Reception Year is ambitious and children are ready for their next steps in education.

Staff know pupils well and care about their well-being and academic progress. They provide extra help to pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). However, they do not always know how best to support the specific needs of individuals.

Consequently, the help given to pupils with SEND does not always have as much impact as it should.

Pupils enjoy their learning. They are eager to share what they know with their peers and with staff.

Where the curriculum is well planned, pupils show great enthusiasm for their learning and are keen to begin work. Poor behaviour rarely interrupts learning. Staff introduce new vocabulary effectively and allow pupils time to practise unfamiliar words.

Staff model early language and communication skills well, particularly for children in Reception Year and Year 1 pupils.

Teachers check pupils' learning. However, they do not always correct pupils' errors or ensure that knowledge is accurately recalled.

This means that misconceptions sometimes persist and work is not always well matched to what pupils already know. Gaps in the knowledge of younger pupils are usually identified and closed quickly.There is a consistent approach to phonics to teach reading in Reception Year and key stage one.

Pupils read books that match the sounds that they know. Staff quickly identify those who are not making progress and help them to catch up. All pupils are encouraged to read often.

Most enjoy doing so. Staff read with such enthusiasm that it captures pupils' interest and helps develop a love of books. However, older pupils who are not yet fluent readers do not always get the help they need to catch up quickly.

Key stage 2 staff do not have the training they need to continue the phonics approach used in key stage 1.

Pupils learn about people from different backgrounds. They know the importance of tolerance and mutual respect.

For example, children in Reception Year share books about different types of families. Pupils know how to stay safe online and how to keep themselves physically and mentally healthy. Children in Reception Year learn to understand their feelings and how to manage them.

The many clubs and trips the school offers enable pupils to explore new interests or develop existing ones. Leaders do not check that all pupils, including those who have SEND or are disadvantaged, benefit from the opportunities for wider personal development.

Leaders have identified the right areas to focus on to improve the quality of education at the school.

The senior leadership team are new to the school. They have a clear vision which is shared with staff. Trustees support leaders but do not know whether leaders' actions are leading to improvement.

Leaders are considerate of staff well-being. However, the weaknesses in curriculum structure in some subject areas add to the workload of staff.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders make sure that staff know how to report any concern they may have that a pupil is at risk of harm. Staff know the signs that a pupil may not be safe. However, not all training is up to date.

Leaders act upon concerns that are raised. They work with external agencies when needed.

Leaders make sure that appropriate background checks are carried out on staff and volunteers.

The curriculum helps pupils to identify and avoid situations in which they might be at risk. Pupils know how to seek help if they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Some aspects of the curriculum are not well sequenced.

As a result, pupils have gaps in their knowledge. They do not learn as much as they should. Leaders need to ensure that the curriculum is well sequenced so that pupils know and remember more over time.

• Staff do not always know how to best meet the needs of pupils with SEND. Consequently, pupils do not always make as much progress as they should. Leaders need to ensure that all staff know how to best support pupils they work with.

• Leaders do not always check the impact of their actions and those of staff. This means leaders do not know whether what they do is bringing about improvement. Leaders need to make sure that they know the impact of their work so they can adapt approaches to secure improvement.

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