St Augustine’s Catholic Primary and Nursery School, A Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school's values of service, love, forgiveness, courage, justice, compassion and hope sing out from the school walls.

These values guide the school's work and serve as a model for how leaders, staff and pupils treat each other. Pupils know the school's values inside out.

St Augustine's is a calm, welcoming school.

Pupils are friendly and polite. They enjoy meeting visitors and are proud to tell them about their school and their work. Pupils feel happy and safe, knowing they can turn to their 'trusted adult' if they have any concerns.

Pupils behave well. They move sensibly around the school, using their 'fantastic walking'. Staff use consistent rou...tines to reinforce their high expectations.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are included in all aspects of school life.

The school proudly celebrates the many different cultures that pupils come from. On heritage day, pupils enjoy wearing national costumes.

They and their families take joy in sharing food from their different cultures together.

Pupils value the opportunities they get to be leaders, for example by 'leading the line', as house captains and as members of the school council.

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

The school has made reading a priority.

All pupils are taught the skills they need to become successful, independent readers. Children in Nursery enjoy learning initial sounds and tracing letters. In Reception, children learn the phonics sounds they need to succeed in reading.

Teachers make phonics enjoyable, for example by 'hiding' the new sound for the day. Children are excited by their learning and join in enthusiastically. Those who need extra help come to school early and get close support from well-trained adults.

Leaders have ensured that all pupils can decode the books they are given. Pupils read a wide range of classic books and texts and ones that reflect the school community. Pupils enjoy learning and performing poetry.

They love how the staff put on voices to read to them during story time.

The school has an ambitious curriculum that builds on children's learning in the early years. The knowledge and skills that pupils should know and remember are set out in detail in every subject.

Lessons typically begin with a 'forget-me-not' activity that helps pupils recall important knowledge. In some subjects, checks on pupils' learning are not fully developed. It is not always clear how well pupils learn the intended curriculum.

At the regular coffee mornings, parents and carers can talk to staff about their concerns. Staff who work with pupils on a one-to-one basis use the strategies identified in pupils' plans. This is not always the case when pupils with SEND learn alongside their peers in the classroom.

On occasion, the curriculum is not adapted well enough to meet pupils' needs.

Children get off to a positive start in the early years. They quickly learn the routines that help them to settle and focus on their learning.

Staff remind children of the importance of 'good sitting' and 'good listening'. They encourage good hygiene and manners. The curriculum is carefully planned to build children's vocabulary.

The environment in the early years does not always support the aims of the curriculum as well as it could.

Pupils' conduct in school is calm and polite. There is little disruption to learning.

Staff model and notice the behaviours they want to see, such as 'fantastic walking'. Relationships are strong. The school teaches pupils the importance of the quality of their character as well as their work.

Pupils know the importance of treating others with respect. They understand the qualities and values they need to be successful citizens.

The school helps pupils to develop a strong moral compass.

Quotes and stories from the Bible teach pupils about right and wrong. Quiet corners and 'prayer chairs' offer a space for quiet reflection. Pupils take part in a variety of trips.

For example, they visit sites of historical interest in Nottingham. There is a range of clubs on offer, especially for sport. Some pupils would like there to be a broader offer.

Staff feel supported by leaders. They feel that the new behaviour systems are helping them to manage their classes well. Staff know that their workload and well-being are considered.

Trustees and governors complement the school's work. They ensure that the school works on the right priorities, and they know when to step in with extra support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few wider curriculum subjects, approaches to checking on how well pupils remember the taught curriculum are less well established. This means that leaders are not always aware of pupils' misconceptions and do not adapt the curriculum accordingly. Leaders should continue to develop subject leadership so that there are firm mechanisms in place to review and adapt the curriculum in all subjects, from the early years upwards.

The environment for learning in the early years does not always support children's learning as well as it could. This means that children do not always have resources and activities to extend their learning. Leaders should continue to improve the environment in the early years.

• Teaching does not always ensure that the needs of pupils with SEND are met in the classroom. The curriculum is not adapted well enough to take account of the strategies to support these pupils' learning. The school should ensure that all teaching consistently uses the strategies in pupils' SEND profiles to enable these pupils to make progress against the intended curriculum.