St Antony’s RC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The focused and effective leadership of the headteacher and new senior leadership team has led to considerable improvements across the school since the previous inspection. Good teaching is ensuring that improvements are sustainable.

Over time, most pupils, including those who are disadvantaged and those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), make good progress. The progress that pupils made in reading and mathematics at the end of key stage 2 in 2018 was comparable to the best progress made by all pupils nationally. Children settle well into the early years.

Adults provide stimulating activities that engage and intere...st the children. However, the outdoor learning environment does not fully promote all areas of children's learning. Due to a concerted effort by the school, attendance has significantly improved since the previous inspection and is now broadly in line with the national average.

Fewer pupils are now persistently absent from school. Safeguarding pupils is at the heart of everything that the school does. The support given to vulnerable families is second to none.

Leaders have designed a curriculum that enthuses pupils' passion for learning. However, the leadership of subjects in the wider curriculum is not as well embedded as that of English and mathematics. Senior leaders keep a close eye on the quality of teaching to make sure that it is of a high standard.

However, the feedback given to staff after observations of their teaching does not consistently focus sharply enough on the learning that has taken place for different groups of pupils. The use of high-quality questioning across the school is inconsistent, as are opportunities for pupils to work collaboratively and share their ideas. Governors are ambitious for the school.

They have been instrumental in working with senior leaders to bring about improvements. Delightful, friendly and well-behaved pupils are a credit to the school and their families. Parents and carers are overwhelmingly positive about all aspects of the school's work.

They typically commented, 'This is an amazing school with a real family atmosphere.'

Information about this school

The school is smaller than the average-sized primary school. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

The proportion of pupils from minority ethnic backgrounds is broadly in line with the national average. The proportion of pupils who are disadvantaged is above the national average. The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average.

The proportion of pupils with an education, health and care plan is above the national average. A section 48 inspection was carried out in February 2017. Since the previous inspection, there have been a significant number of staff changes at all levels across the school.