St Brigid’s RC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy being part of this nurturing and caring school community.

They develop positive relationships with staff and with each other. The school is highly ambitious for pupils' achievement. Pupils live up to the school's motto, 'Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it'.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), achieve well.

The school supports pupils' well-being effectively, including their mental health. Pupils said that their friends, and the staff, look after them well.

Older pupils enjoy looking after others, for example by helping pupils on the playground with simple first aid.

Classrooms are calm.... This allows pupils to do their best in lessons.

Pupils, including children in the early years, behave well. Pupils respect the differences between people. They understand and recognise that 'no one should judge anyone else'.

Pupils have a keen sense of fairness and said that everyone is included in their school.

Pupils' learning is successfully enhanced through a range of trips, including to places of cultural significance, and a residential visit. Pupils enjoy attending a wide range of after-school clubs, including cooking and cheerleading.

They also have many opportunities to develop their leadership skills. They are proud to act as ambassadors for the school.

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

The school and governing body have worked to review and secure further improvements to the quality of the curriculum since the last inspection effectively.

The well-designed and ambitious curriculum helps children in the early years get off to a strong start. They quickly develop a love of learning, which sets them up well for the next stage of their education.

In most subjects, the school has identified the important content that pupils should acquire from the early years to the end of Year 6.

This knowledge builds on what pupils already know in well-ordered steps. However, in a small number of subjects, the essential knowledge that should be taught is not as clearly defined. This makes it harder for teachers to design learning activities and to then accurately check that pupils are learning and remembering all that they should in these subjects.

Teachers have been suitably trained to deliver most curriculums effectively. They use their subject knowledge to make sure that pupils learn the content of these curriculums successfully. Teachers check that pupils have understood what has been taught before introducing new learning.

As a result, pupils progress successfully through the curriculum and achieve well in most subjects.

The school has made sure that pupils develop a love of reading from an early age. Teachers in the early years and in key stage 1 skilfully build pupils' phonics knowledge.

They make sure that pupils read books that are carefully matched to their phonics knowledge. Teachers are swift to spot any pupils who may be falling behind with their reading. Staff help these pupils to catch up quickly.

Older pupils read widely and often. They spoke enthusiastically about authors and the books that they have read and enjoyed.

The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND at the earliest opportunity.

Staff check carefully that the appropriate support is in place for these pupils as they move through the school. This support is well implemented and enables pupils with SEND to access the same curriculum as other pupils. Pupils with SEND achieve well and participate in all aspects of school life.

The school has reviewed its approach to managing behaviour. This has included training for staff. Pupils typically behave well.

They recognise and meet the school's higher expectations of their conduct around school. Pupils rarely disturb the learning of their peers. They have a well-developed understanding of school routines.

This helps them to work and play safely and purposefully. The school has created effective partnerships with families and developed clear procedures to manage attendance. As a result, attendance rates are improving.

The school has developed an effective programme of learning to support pupils' personal development. It makes sure that pupils learn about a range of important issues, such as equality and fundamental British values. The school makes sure that pupils understand fundamental British values, such as democracy.

Pupils have a strong understanding of how to keep themselves safe online. Pastoral support for pupils is effective.

Staff are proud of the strong culture of teamwork and care that exists in the school.

They are supported to fulfil their roles effectively. For example, the school considers staff's workload when implementing changes to the curriculum.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Improvements to clarify the essential knowledge pupils should learn in a small number of subjects are in the early stages of development. This means that the delivery of these subjects is sometimes not precise enough and that pupils' knowledge is not as secure as it could be. The school should sharpen aspects of the curriculum to better draw on pupils' prior knowledge and to help them to know more and remember more over time.