St Edmund Campion Catholic Primary School and Nursery

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy coming to school.

Leaders have created a deeply inclusive and welcoming community where bullying is not tolerated. Pupils are confident that if bullying were to happen, then teachers are 'roadblocks to bullying'. When things go wrong, the caring and thoughtful approach of staff means that actions are taken immediately, and pupils are supported to learn from any mistakes.

Pupils are motivated to work hard. Teachers make sure that lessons are interesting and explain key ideas clearly. Furthermore, rich experiences help pupils to develop their gifts and talents.

For example, every pupil learns the clarinet for a year and all pupils represent the sch...ool in at least one sporting event.

Pupils behave exceptionally well throughout the day. In the early years, children learn to share and look after resources.

Throughout the school, pupils listen carefully to the thoughts and opinions of others and cherish the increasing diversity of the school community. They are inspired by 'Catholic Social Teaching' to undertake acts of service, for example through collecting resources to support those in the community who are homeless.

Pupils are safe, and feel safe.

However, inspectors found a number of issues with the recording and oversight processes for safeguarding. Leaders have taken this on board and are in the process of rectifying these.

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

Leaders have adopted a well-sequenced curriculum.

They have identified the most important knowledge that pupils need to remember. Teachers ensure that all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), are supported well to learn. Teachers check pupils' work routinely in lessons to make sure that everyone is achieving well.

They, and other adults, identify who is finding things tricky and provide support there and then to help them catch up. In some subjects, the way that learning builds over time from Nursery to Year 6 is not as clear as it is in others. This means that the curriculum in the early years does not prepare children as well as it could for learning in Year 1.

Pupils make highly positive contributions to the life of the school, and attendance is good. Pupils are keen to be elected to the wide variety of pupil leadership roles. Pupils explain their role as 'upstanders' in the community: those who act when it is needed.

The relationships between pupils and adults in school are extremely warm and respectful. Adults have high expectations of pupils' behaviour, and good manners are modelled by all. In particular, pupils in the early years chat politely as they enjoy their lunch together.

Pupils consistently demonstrate empathy. They understand that some of their classmates have different needs. Pupils actively support each other to do well.

Reading is at the heart of the curriculum. Leaders have carefully selected the books that pupils will hear and read in lessons. In the early years, children enjoy the books adults share with them.

All staff have been trained to teach early reading well using a carefully structured programme. Teachers spot pupils who are not keeping up with the programme. They work with these pupils to help them catch up quickly.

Pupils, including those with SEND, read to an adult regularly. This helps them to read with confidence and fluency. All pupils benefit from this individual attention.

The way that pupils' character is developed is exemplary. Staff are passionate about the way in which they provide opportunities for all, regardless of background, SEND or any other factor. Pupils describe themselves as 'global neighbours'.

The rich wider curriculum and the choice of class reading texts opens pupils' eyes to different cultures and situations. For example, after reading 'The Boy at the Back of the Class', pupils organised a collection of books and other materials to support local refugees. All pupils are part of the pupil parliament that takes place each half term.

They value this opportunity to debate ideas and suggest changes to the school.

Those responsible for governance do not work together effectively. This means that they do not make sure that the right things are being done at the right time.

The local governing body has a clear vision for the school. It has worked to develop provision for pupils with SEND and to ensure that the quality of education is secure. However, trust leaders have not provided effective support for the local governing body.

Trust leaders' oversight of other areas, for example safeguarding, has also not been timely or effective. Recent changes to the trust board are positive, but the impact is not yet visible in the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Staff are trained well, and leaders act swiftly to make referrals to, and to work with, children's services and their partner agencies. A well-considered curriculum means pupils learn how to keep safe. For example, pupils learn about river safety and how to stay safe around the River Thames.

During the inspection, inspectors found inconsistencies in record-keeping and the application of the safeguarding policy. While these were addressed swiftly during the inspection, leaders at all levels had not previously identified these as areas requiring attention.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Leaders, including those responsible for governance, do not have effective systems to identify key aspects in need of improvement, such as the weaknesses in safeguarding record-keeping.

This means that some issues are not identified or addressed in a timely way. Leaders, including trustees and local governors, need to establish effective and efficient systems to monitor all aspects of school life. ? The relationship between trustees and the school is distant.

Trustees do not ask probing enough questions about how statutory obligations are carried out at the school. Consequently, they do not have a thorough enough understanding of the school. Trustees need to ensure that they provide the robust challenge and capacity required to ensure that the school benefits from the support of the trust.

• The curriculum is not fully and successfully embedded across the school in all foundation subjects. This means that pupils are not as well prepared as they could be for learning in Year 1. Leaders have rightly recognised this, and should continue to embed the curriculum so that the journey from Nursery to Year 6 is clear in all subjects.