St Bernadette Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school. Spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is promoted strongly at this school.

Pupils learn about faith, contemporary world issues and social responsibility. They enjoy school and attend well. Pupils achieve well because they are keen to learn and take part enthusiastically in a wide range of activities.

Teaching is effective because teachers have good subject knowledge and always want pupils to do their best. Pupils behave well and feel safe. They are polite, friendly and courteous.

Relationships are excellent. The site and resources are kept tidy and in good order. Leaders, including governors, know the school well..../>
They have accurately identified areas for further development and are effectively working to forge improvements in many areas, including teaching and achievement. It is not yet an outstanding school because : Learning of some pupils, particularly those who are less able, slows because work is sometimes a bit too difficult for some pupils and too easy for others. Pupils do not always have support which they need because teaching assistants are not always deployed effectively.

Achievement is slightly slower in mathematics than writing or reading, because pupils do not have enough opportunities to use and apply their mathematical skills. A few weaknesses in teaching persist because : leaders do not check sufficiently frequently or carefully that improvements are always implemented effectively.

Information about this school

This school is much larger than most other primary schools.

It has two single-age classes in each year group from Reception to Year 6, and a Nursery. The proportion of pupils who are known to be eligible for pupil premium funding is much lower than the national average. This is additional funding for specific groups of pupils, in this case, those who are known to be eligible for free school meals.

The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, supported at school action, is smaller than the national average. The proportion of disabled pupils and those with special educational needs, supported at school action plus, or with a statement, is also smaller than the national average. Almost half of the pupils are from a wide range of minority ethnic groups.

About a quarter have English as an additional language. Very few are at an early stage of learning English. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which set the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress.

The school runs a breakfast club from 7.45 am to 8.45 am before school each day.