St Benedict’s Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school The headteacher has quickly earned the respect and support of the school and the wider community.

He leads by example and sets high expectations for staff and pupils alike. Leaders, together with effective support from governors, the local authority and the diocese, have successfully improved the quality of education since the previous inspection. The added capacity of middle leaders is increasing the pace of improvement.

As a result of careful recruitment and highly effective professional development, the quality of teaching, previously inconsistent, is now at least good. The well-designed 'big ideas' curriculum provides pupils with a wi...de range of interesting learning activities. It contributes strongly to pupils' social, moral, spiritual and cultural development.

Children in the early years make good progress, particularly in their reading. Staff provide a vibrant and stimulating learning environment. Children settle well and are happy, confident learners.

The special educational needs coordinator (SENCo) demonstrates strong leadership. The small number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and disadvantaged pupils receive effective support to make good progress from their starting points. Support for pupils' personal development and welfare is outstanding.

The school's warm and nurturing environment encourages pupils to be respectful of others and to become resilient, responsible learners. Pupils enjoy school and attendance is high. Behaviour is good and pupils feel safe.

Although there are close checks on the progress pupils make in English and mathematics, subject leaders pay less attention to the quality of learning in other subjects, where standards are more variable. Most teachers provide work which meets the needs of pupils. However, on occasion the most able pupils are not able to move on to challenging activities quickly enough.

This slows their progress, including in the early years.

Information about this school

St Benedict's Roman Catholic Primary School is much smaller than the average-sized primary school. The number of pupils on roll has decreased since the last inspection.

There are four mixed-age classes, catering for pupils from Nursery to Year 6. The vast majority of pupils are White British. The proportion of pupils eligible for the pupil premium is lower than the national average.

The proportion of pupils with SEND is below that found nationally. An increasing proportion of pupils enter or leave the school at times other than those expected. A high proportion of these incoming pupils speak English as an additional language.

The headteacher joined the school in September 2018. He is also headteacher at St Joseph's Roman Catholic Primary School, Pickering. There are two recently qualified teachers who joined the school in September 2017.