St Catherine’s RC School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are proud to be a member of the school community. They value everyone and feel that differences should be celebrated. The relationships between pupils, staff and families are strong, including in the early years.

Pupils are kept and feel safe because staff know them well. Pupils understand what bullying is and trust their teachers to deal with it if it does occur – which they do.

Pupils produce work of a good standard in a range of subjects.

This is because teachers expect them to work hard and do well. Teachers have thought carefully about how the classroom environment enables strong learning. For example, in key stage 2 there is 'shoeless learning'.<...br/>
Pupils explain that this aids their concentration.

Pupils are happy, polite and articulate. They love learning and try hard in their lessons.

Pupils enjoy the opportunity to share their ideas about improving the school through the school council. They benefit from opportunities for learning outside the classroom, which include an extensive range of clubs and visits. Pupils told us that they love these experiences as they help them to make sense of their learning.

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

Pupils learn to read fluently. This is because teachers are well trained. Teachers check pupils' progress regularly.

If pupils are falling behind, they are given support to catch up. Pupils read books that are well-matched to the sounds they have learned. Leaders recognise that pupils need a broad vocabulary to become fluent readers and succeed in other subjects.

Teachers focus on developing pupils' language and communication from Nursery through to Year 6. Pupils get every opportunity to practise these skills through regular discussion.

Teaching programmes match the scope and ambition of the national curriculum.

In some subjects, such as history, mathematics and music, leaders have considered the important knowledge pupils need to learn. This is well sequenced. Pupils understand more complex ideas by building on what they have learned before.

For example, in history, pupils develop their knowledge of how Britain has changed over time and their skills to weigh up historical evidence. Careful sequencing in these subjects allows teachers to check pupils' understanding in lessons so that misconceptions are addressed quickly.

However, in other subjects, such as science and geography, leaders have not identified the important ideas pupils need to learn and remember.

This means that sometimes teachers give pupils work which is too difficult and not focused on what pupils need to know.

Most pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) thrive. This is because teachers and support staff know them well and understand what helps them to learn.

Staff quickly build strong relationships with the children in the early years. This makes children feel safe and happy. Teachers and early years practitioners give children lots of opportunities to play, explore and talk about what they are learning.

As a result, children talk confidently to adults and with each other. However, teachers are not always clear about the vocabulary children need to develop. This creates some gaps in the knowledge that children need to tackle the curriculum later.

Leaders have identified this as a priority and have plans in place to ensure teachers develop the vocabulary children need to know.

Strong focus is placed on pupils' personal development. Pupils learn to respect and value other faiths and cultures.

Leaders plan experiences for pupils that develop their understanding of the wider world, for example in the newly developed forest school. Pupils are also given opportunities to develop their own leadership skills through the roles of house and sports captains or as a 'Rights Respecting Ambassador'.

Pupils conduct themselves well, and they are keen to do their best in lessons.

They are rarely disrupted from their work because everyone is engaged in their learning.

The school is well led. School leaders, including governors, understand the strengths of the school and have appropriate plans to help it improve further.

Staff enjoy working at the school and are proud to be part of school community. They feel well supported by leaders who are considerate of their workload. The school's partnership with parents and carers is strong and most parents are fulsome in their praise of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are well trained to spot signs that a pupil may be at risk of harm. They know what to do if they have concerns.

There is a thorough training programme for staff which keeps them up to date on issues pupils might face. Leaders work well with external agencies and the local authority to make sure that pupils and families get the support they need. Leaders have worked closely with pupils and parents on the issue of online safety to keep parents up to date and make sure that all pupils are safe when using all types of electronic devices.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, leaders have not identified the knowledge pupils need to learn. As a result, teachers do not focus sufficiently on important concepts. Leaders should ensure that teachers understand the precise knowledge pupils need to learn so that their understanding builds cumulatively over time.

In some subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the vocabulary early years children need to learn and practise. This means that pupils cannot always easily access different areas of the curriculum in key stage 1. Leaders should ensure they identify this vocabulary in all subjects so that children are well prepared for the curriculum in Year 1.

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