St Augustine’s RC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at St Augustine's.

They say they feel safe in school because staff care for them. They identify that following rules in school also helps to keep them safe. Pupils are particularly proud of the larger 'family' they say the school represents.

At lunchtime, pupils sit together with an older pupil at the head of the table to help and support younger ones. This promotes a calm and caring experience.

Bullying is not tolerated.

Pupils report that it happens rarely, and that if it does it is always sorted out quickly by staff.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils to succeed. They ensure that pupils with special educational... needs and/or disabilities (SEND) access the same curriculum as their peers.

Suitable adaptations are made to support learning where necessary.

A wide range of opportunities is available to enhance and enrich the regular curriculum. These include additional Spanish lessons, after-school clubs and learning a musical instrument.

While these are enjoyed by many, leaders do not ensure that disadvantaged pupils benefit equally from these additional opportunities.

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

The teaching of phonics is strong. Children begin learning letter sounds as soon as they start school.

Those directly teaching phonics are well trained. Regular assessment is in place to identify those who are at risk of falling behind, and suitable interventions are planned to ensure pupils catch up. Leaders identified last year that not all books used in class were supporting reading fluency as well as they could.

They prioritised this as an improvement, and now all books are closely matched to the sounds that pupils know. Older pupils talk about favourite texts, and classroom book areas further encourage a love of reading.While the teachers who deliver phonics lessons are well trained, some teaching assistants are not always as skilled.

To address this, leaders have planned additional professional development opportunities.The mathematics curriculum is well established. Leaders have identified the key knowledge that they want pupils to be fluent with, for example learning times tables.

In Reception, interactive resources are used to engage children in mastering numbers up to 10. Older pupils talk confidently about their learning, using appropriate mathematical vocabulary. They can identify the most efficient methods to make calculations easier.

Wider curriculum subjects are well planned. Learning is sequenced clearly to support pupils to learn more over time. Their understanding of this learning, however, is not yet always embedded.

In music, pupils can understand and explain the small steps of learning that help them achieve success with an ensemble performance. These connections are not yet made as well in all subjects. Teachers do not always check carefully enough, through assessment, that pupils' knowledge is secured over time.

Leaders have an ambition for all pupils to succeed and develop, to be well rounded individuals ready for the next stage of their learning. Pupils with SEND are well supported. Education, health and care plans are used to support the modification of lessons for those with high levels of need.

Parents are fully informed about plans and interventions. In some instances, additional family support is signposted if leaders believe it will further aid progress at school.

Staff manage pupils' behaviour consistently.

Behaviour is calm and purposeful in lessons. Teachers set clear expectations that learning is important and pupils rise to this challenge. At playtime pupils are kind to each other.

Older pupils often play with, and support, younger pupils.

Leaders have chosen a personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum that also reflects the school's faith values. Pupils learn about different types of families.

They can identify similarities and differences between them and are clear that love is the most important thing.

Leaders provide a range of enrichment activities to support pupils' wider personal development. The school provides after-school club provision and signposts parents to individual musical instrument lessons.

This offer, while paused due to the COVID-19 restrictions, has now been resumed in full. It is, however, not accessed equally by disadvantaged pupils. Leaders know they need to ensure that all pupils are benefiting from their wider curricular offer.

Leaders, including governors, know the school well. They have a good understanding of the current strengths and areas for development. Governors provide both support and challenge to ensure that school priorities are met.

Staff are overwhelmingly positive about the work of the school and leaders' support. They are happy at St Augustine's. They also say that leaders are mindful of their workload, only initiating new initiatives if they are beneficial to pupils' learning.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders know their responsibilities for safeguarding. Staff and governors are well trained.

Close relationships and trust exist between staff and parents. Staff are vigilant, and rigorous monitoring systems ensure that concerns are identified swiftly. This ensures the appropriate support can then be put in place as quickly as possible.

Leaders use assemblies and lessons to help pupils understand how to keep themselves safe. They work closely with the police, so pupils learn about local dangers. For example, workshops are delivered to key stage 2 pupils, to raise awareness about knife crime and drug trafficking.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The well-planned curriculum is now being implemented across all subjects. The impact of this curriculum, however, is not consistently strong. In some foundation subjects, such as music, it is much stronger than in others.

This is because teachers do not always check on pupils' learning as they progress through topics or make links to previous work. Leaders should promote the better use of assessment in lessons, to help pupils remember more. ? Disadvantaged families who request financial assistance are supported through school funds to access wider enrichment activities.

Leaders do not, however, proactively ensure that this offer is more widely available for after-school clubs and individual music tuition. This means that not all have equal access to these extra-curricular activities. Leaders need to ensure that this offer is extended, to include all disadvantaged pupils, so they receive the same opportunities to enrich their personal development.