St Augustine’s Catholic Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Under the executive principal's and head of school's leadership, and supported by the multi-academy company (MAC), the staff team has worked successfully to create a harmonious and improving school. The Catholic ethos underpins the work of leaders.

Members of the academy committee have a secure understanding of the work of the school. They provide strong levels of support and challenge. Leaders, including the board of directors and the academy committee, fully understand their responsibilities.

They fulfil these with rigour and do not shy away from taking difficult decisions that improve the quality of education. Leaders use what they hav...e learned from checks on the quality of teaching and learning to improve pupils' outcomes across all year groups. The teaching of writing is effective.

Pupils practise and develop a range of skills before successfully applying them in longer pieces of writing. The teaching of mathematics is effective in some year groups. Some pupils do not make good progress because the sequencing of learning within a lesson or across a unit of work does not support them to build upon what they already know.

Pupils read widely and often. They enjoy reading to themselves and value adults reading and sharing stories with them. Teachers give parents and carers ideas on how to support reading at home.

This has improved the number of pupils who regularly read outside of school. The teaching of phonics is successful in providing pupils with early reading skills. Pupils experience a range of opportunities within the curriculum.

Visits and 'Launch Days' are used to introduce topics. Specialist teachers support some areas of the curriculum, such as computing, sports and music. However, for some subjects, pupils lack opportunities to build upon skills they developed in previous year groups.

Leaders in the early years foundation stage have developed planned routines and a strong curriculum. This ensures that children settle well and have their needs met. Leaders make sure that high-quality teaching is a consistent part of each and every day.

Adults in the early years foundation stage are knowledgeable and skilled practitioners. They sensitively support and challenge children to grow and develop as independent, inquisitive and confident learners. Leaders' support for pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.

Pupils have a strong understanding of how to stay safe. Pupils are thoughtful and deeply respectful. They value their learning.

They are extremely polite, well-mannered and very well behaved, both in lessons and at playtimes. Pupils are safe and well cared for. Safeguarding systems are robust.

One pupil, reflecting the views of many, said: 'The adults are the best thing in the school. We can talk to them and they treat us with respect.'

Information about this school

St Augustine's Catholic Academy is one of five schools in the All Saints Catholic Collegiate MAC.

The school is governed by the board of trustees. The school has an academy committee, which has delegated duties as directed by the board of trustees. The school is led by an executive principal from the MAC and a head of school.

There have been considerable changes in staff, including leaders and teachers, since the previous inspection. The school is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of disadvantaged pupils is well above the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is above the national average. There was a larger than average increase in the proportion of pupils with SEND between 2017 and 2018. The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is above average.

The majority of pupils are White British. There is an on-site nursery that has places for children from the age of three. The school's last section 48 inspection of religious education took place in June 2015.

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