St Columba’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a very happy school.

Pupils thrive in a safe oasis of calm, away from their busy lives outside of school. They have the time to laugh, sing and make friends. Pupils say that this is a school where staff listen to them.

Pupils enjoy gaining new knowledge. They rise to the school's high expectations for their education and achieve well.

Pupils are very cooperative with staff and one another.

They learn to be considerate, such as through 'kindness week'. In lessons, and when elsewhere around the school, pupils are self-disciplined and self-aware.

Pupils benefit from an excellent range of opportunities that develop their personal skills....

For instance, the school provides pupils with a wide range of extra-curricular clubs. Pupils hold an array of different roles to help the school, such as acting as librarians. The school helps pupils to gain many new skills, such as in gardening and first aid.

From Nursery to Year 6, the school supports pupils' feelings and emotions very successfully, helping pupils to be ready to learn the curriculum.

Pupils learn to respect other people's experiences, ideas and opinions. They gain a rich knowledge of important topics such as crime, equality and careers.

The school prepares pupils exceptionally well to be responsible, respectful British citizens.

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

The school has established an ambitious and well-thought-out curriculum. It identifies the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) accurately.

It makes sure that all its pupils have an equal chance to succeed. The school ensures that staff choose activities carefully when deciding how to teach the curriculum. Where pupils, such as those with SEND, need extra individual support, the school is quick to provide the help that pupils need.

As a result, many pupils overcome considerable obstacles to their learning. Pupils blossom academically, socially and emotionally.

Much of the time, the school checks effectively on pupils' knowledge.

It then helps them to learn essential information well. However, on occasion, the school does not make certain that pupils can recall some essential knowledge that they have been taught previously. This means that, sometimes, pupils' new knowledge does not build on a secure understanding.

The published data for reading in Year 6 in 2024 was well below the national average. This arose because the school had not resolved some gaps in pupils' learning that developed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The published data does not reflect the quality of education that current pupils benefit from in reading in the early years and in key stages 1 and 2.

The school has developed staff expertise skilfully to teach pupils to read and to check what pupils know. As a result, pupils at the school are becoming fluent, enthusiastic readers. Pupils say that the school inspires them so much through its use of stories that they keenly write stories for themselves at home.

The school's work in the early years builds on its well-considered links with other settings and parents and carers. This helps children, who are new to the school, to settle well and for staff to understand their needs. Staff make the curriculum memorable and meaningful.

Children flourish as they gain the confidence, knowledge and skills that they need for their future learning.

Pupils are thoughtful and sensible. They follow the school's rules.

Pupils focus on their work with little distraction.

The school has strengthened its work to improve pupils' attendance. For example, leaders and governors use information about patterns of absences to carefully decide the school's actions.

The school provides parents with effective support and advice about the importance of high attendance. Pupils' attendance at the school is improving, but too many still miss days at school.

The school aims high for its pupils.

It identifies the gaps in pupils' personal development very carefully. The school matches its provision to pupils' needs precisely. It exposes pupils to a rich programme of additional learning.

For instance, some key stage 2 classes recently worked with an external specialist to explore healthy food, using a Greek menu as an example. The school prepares pupils very well for their future lives.

The school carefully considers the workload of its staff when making decisions.

It also provides them with well-thought-out training and guidance. This support enables staff to teach the school's subject curriculums effectively. The governing body has a wide range of skills and expertise.

It challenges and supports the work of the school well. It keeps a close eye on the school's work, such as to include and support pupils with SEND.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Sometimes, the school does not make sure that pupils remember essential information from their previous learning. This means that some of pupils' learning of new knowledge is less secure than it should be. The school should make certain that it helps pupils to keep essential information in their long-term memory.

• Some pupils do not attend school when they should. This has a negative effect on their learning. The school should build on its recently strengthened work with parents so that all pupils have good attendance.