St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Andrew the Apostle Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to this school. Staff have high expectations for all pupils.

They want pupils to succeed in everything that they do. Pupils are encouraged to follow the school's mission statement in, 'Succeeding Together in Faith and Love.'

Pupils are proud of their school.

Most pupils rarely miss a day of their education. They are keen to learn. Relationships between pupils and adults are caring and supportive.

The pupils that I spoke to said that they feel safe and happy because they know that staff always have time for them. Pupils g...et along well together and said that they have many friends. They enjoy playing together in the playground and spending time with each other at the many after-school clubs on offer.

Pupils behave well in lessons and follow the school's code of conduct. They understand how these help them to learn. Bullying is rare.

If it ever did happen, pupils said that staff would sort it out quickly.

Pupils are keen to make a positive contribution to their school. They told me that they are proud to wear the different badges and ties for the different roles and responsibilities that they undertake.

Parents and carers appreciate how staff look after and keep their children safe.

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

Leaders understand their school and what they need to do to improve it even further. They have made important changes to the curriculum so that pupils will know more and remember more.

The curriculum has been planned well in most subjects. Leaders have made sure that pupils learn content in a logical order. As a result, by the end of Year 6, pupils achieve well in reading, writing and mathematics.

Reading is promoted well across the school. At the start of the Nursery Year, children are introduced to stories, books and poems. Staff are skilled at teaching the carefully planned phonics programme.

Children respond well to the fun and engaging activities that adults plan. Staff make sure that children and pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they have learned. They act quickly if pupils need extra help to catch up.

In 2019, most pupils reached the expected standard in the Year 1 phonics screening check.

Pupils have many opportunities to read a wide range of books. Teachers select books that link well to other curriculum areas.

This helps deepen pupils' learning in many subjects and develops their love of reading.

Pupils achieve well in mathematics. The mathematics curriculum is well planned and structured.

In the early years, teachers plan many opportunities for children to develop a good understanding of numbers. Staff make learning mathematics fun. Children develop an enthusiasm for mathematics which they maintain as they move throughout the school.

Pupils across different year groups are confident mathematicians. They have a good understanding of a wide range of mathematical vocabulary. Pupils explained to me in detail about different types of angles.

The curriculum is less well developed in some subjects. Plans lack detail and do not make it clear what pupils will learn across the school. This means that teachers do not plan activities that build on what pupils already know and can do.

A number of subject leaders are also new to their role. Leaders are providing training for staff. This is to enable staff to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to lead their subject.

Leaders are beginning to revise the curriculum plans in subjects other than English and mathematics.

Pupils behave well in lessons and are keen to learn. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported.

Teachers understand their specific needs and adapt lessons and resources. This is helping pupils with SEND to learn more and remember more.

While most pupils attend school regularly, the attendance rates for some disadvantaged pupils is below average.

This has a negative impact on their learning and achievement. Leaders have acted to improve the attendance of disadvantaged pupils, but they know that there is some way to go before it matches that of other pupils.

Leaders support pupils' personal development well.

Pupils develop sound and caring attitudes towards each other and the world in which they live. For example, 'green knights' enjoy keeping the school grounds tidy. Leaders make sure that pupils understand how to look after their own mental health.

Pupils are well prepared for secondary school.

Leaders have managed changes to the curriculum well. Staff feel well supported to manage their own workload.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders provide regular training for staff so that they understand their role in keeping pupils safe. Staff know pupils well.

They act quickly when they have any concerns about pupils' safety. Leaders have established effective systems within the school. They make sure that records kept are detailed and thorough.

Pupils learn how to keep themselves safe both online and in the local community. They understand that they can always speak to staff in school if they have any worries or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

The curriculum is not yet well planned and sequenced in some subjects.

It is clear from the actions that leaders have taken that this is starting to be addressed. It is for this reason that Ofsted's transition arrangements were applied to confirm that pupils benefit from a good education. In some subjects, pupils' learning is not as well sequenced as it could be.

This stops teachers from planning activities that build on what pupils already know and can do. Leaders need to make sure that all curriculum plans provide enough detail. They also need to ensure that all subject leaders have the knowledge and skills that they need to lead their areas of responsibility.

This will enable pupils to know and remember more in all subjects. . Attendance for disadvantaged pupils is low and has been so over time.

This has a negative impact on pupils' learning and achievement. Leaders need to continue their efforts to improve the attendance of pupils who are absent regularly.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

This is called a section 8 inspection of a good or non-exempt outstanding school. We do not give graded judgements on a section 8 inspection. However, if we find some evidence standards may be declining, then the next inspection will be a section 5 inspection.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the section 8 inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will convert the section 8 inspection to a section 5 inspection immediately.

This is the second section 8 inspection since we judged the school to be good on 7–8 December 2010.