St Chad’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Many effective changes have taken place at St Chad's Catholic Primary School.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. These are now beginning to be realised. Changes to the curriculum means that current pupils are catching up quickly.

Leaders provide experiences for pupils in a carefully considered way. These are underpinned by the school's Catholic social teachings. Pupils know the importance of being a good person.

They help others in the community. Pupils show kindness and respect to others as a result. Pupils exemplify their motto, 'Christ in our heads, our hearts and our hands'.

They say that everyone is loved and welcomed.

Pupil...s behave well when moving around school. They remind each other about the school's expectations of behaviour.

For example, older pupils show younger pupils how to walk quietly into school from playtime. 'Sports leaders' set up playtime activities. They referee games and show pupils how to play fairly.

Pupils' physical and mental health are taken seriously by leaders. Pupils can discuss their worries and feelings with trusted adults. Some staff have additional training to support mental health needs.

All pupils benefit from support with their physical health. They know how to improve their physical health through sports, movement and an active lifestyle.

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

Leaders have made many improvements across the school.

These include changes to the curriculum. However, results in national tests for Year 6 pupils who left in 2022, did not reflect the impact of these changes. Leaders are committed to improving the learning experiences of pupils.

This is now realised through a well-constructed and ambitious curriculum.

Leaders have set out the key knowledge they want pupils to learn over time. This starts from the early years in most subjects.

Leaders make careful choices when sequencing different subjects across the curriculum. This helps pupils build their knowledge in a considered way. Pupils are taught subject-specific vocabulary, which they use effectively when explaining their work.

Assessment systems in subjects such as reading and mathematics are secure. Leaders have an accurate view of how pupils are achieving. They quickly put support in place for those who need it.

Pupils are catching up quickly as a result. However, assessment systems in the foundation subjects have only been implemented recently. As a result, it is too soon for leaders to know how effectively these systems assess pupils' learning.

Teachers' subject knowledge is mostly secure. They provide pupils with opportunities to revisit their learning in most subjects. For example, in mathematics, this helps pupils with their fluency and reasoning.

In geography, pupils are taught how to compare countries, map work and understanding different viewpoints.

Pupils behave well most of the time in most lessons. Any low-level behaviours are addressed quickly by staff.

Reading is prioritised by leaders. Phonics is taught from the start. Children in Nursery learn to identify sounds accurately.

They take part in nursery rhymes and songs. Pupils at the early stage of reading work well in small groups. They are assessed regularly and given work that matches their needs.

Leaders provide regular training and support to staff. As a result, staff are highly skilled in teaching pupils how to read. Pupils are excited by books and 'mystery readers'.

These are teachers who visit classrooms and read books to pupils.

Leaders have created an inclusive school. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) and those who are disadvantaged are well cared for.

Leaders provide a highly nurturing environment for those who need additional support. Pupils with SEND are well supported in class most of the time. There are secure systems in place which identify which pupils have SEND.

However, targets set on individual learning plans for some pupils with SEND are not clearly defined. This means that teachers do not always set work which closely matches their learning needs.

Leaders provide a wide range of opportunities for pupils.

They learn about different religions to their own. They have a wide understanding of different religious beliefs. Pupils have an exceptional understanding about diversity.

They know the different characteristics which make people unique. They respect these and say that everyone is equal. Pupils show deep compassion for others and respect views which are different to their own.

Governors and trust leaders know the school well. They provide appropriate challenge when needed. The trust provides effective support to school leaders.

This is helping to drive improvements. Parents and carers speak highly of the recently appointed school leaders.

There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities available to all pupils.

This includes sports, dance, yoga and reading. Those pupils who are disadvantaged are supported to regularly take part in these.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are vigilant and know how to identify and raise safeguarding concerns quickly. Leaders follow up any concerns promptly. All staff receive regular and updated training about how to keep pupils safe.

Trust leaders meet regularly about safeguarding. They review systems and provide helpful support to the school.

Leaders take appropriate recruitment checks on all staff and volunteers before they are appointed.

These checks continue regularly while staff are still employed by the school.

Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. Pupils lead 'safety days' where they teach each other about staying safe online and when out in public.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders do not always set clearly defined and specific targets for pupils with SEND that identify sufficiently well how teachers should support these pupils. This means that work does not always match the needs of some pupils with SEND. Leaders should review and evaluate these targets to ensure that the right support and activities are always provided during lessons.

• Assessment systems in some foundation subjects have been implemented very recently. Leaders do not yet know how well these systems assess pupils' learning. Leaders need to continue their work to embed assessment systems in foundation subjects and ensure that information is used to evaluate the impact on pupils' learning.