St Felix Roman Catholic Primary School, Haverhill

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school. They benefit from the substantial improvements at the school.

Pupils work hard to achieve the school's high expectations.

Starting in Nursery class, pupils come to know that learning is important and fun. Children in the early years delight in exploring the world through the high-quality learning activities the school provides.

Due to the many positive changes made at the school, pupils become confident learners with wide ranging knowledge and skills. Pupils leave at the end of Year 6 ready for secondary school.

Pupils appreciate the well embedded Catholic ethos where everyone is genuinely, 'valued, nurtured and encouraged to rea...ch their full potential.'

During lessons, pupils work well together and celebrate each other's achievements. This includes pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), all of whom are fully included within the school.

Pupils study the curriculum successfully and build strong relationships with their peers due to the support they receive from staff.

On the playground and around the school, older pupils care for younger pupils in the many leadership positions at the school. For example, play helpers in Year 4 support younger pupils on the play equipment at lunch.

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

The school, with the support of the trust, has markedly improved the quality of the curriculum.

They have an ambitious curriculum in place that is well organised. The school provides staff the guidance and training they need to teach effectively. Staff aptly put this guidance and training into practice.

They plan and deliver effective learning activities. As a result, pupils learn most of what is in the curriculum.

In key stage 1, pupils' achievement is particularly strong in English and mathematics and well above national averages on national assessments.

However, there are subjects where some curriculum plans expect pupils to learn too much in a short space of time. As a result, teachers do not give pupils the time they need to gain knowledge thoroughly. When this happens, pupils have a shallow understanding of the curriculum content and forget key knowledge leaders intend them to learn.

The school has been developing the way staff check what pupils have learned. Teachers routinely check what pupils know and understand. When concerns arise, teachers give pupils the help they need to avoid falling behind.

However, occasionally these checks do not spot when pupils forget knowledge they studied in previous terms or years. This leads to pupils forgetting some important facts and a lack of understanding of concepts in some areas of the curriculum.

Reading is a strength at the school.

Staff consistently follow the school's approach to teaching pupils how to read. In Nursery, staff model the use of sophisticated language for children. They also ensure children learn the sounds of letters accurately in preparation for learning phonics in Reception.

As they progress through Reception class and key stage 1, staff support pupils to become fluent readers. Pupils that find reading difficult receive additional help to become capable readers.

The school swiftly identifies the needs of pupils with SEND.

Working with external specialists, the school puts in place well-considered guidance and training for staff to support these pupils. Staff provide what these pupils need to help them learn the curriculum effectively. For example, staff adapt learning activities well during lessons to ensure pupils can access what is being taught.

Pupils understand and live up to the school's high expectations of their conduct. Throughout the school, pupils learn in orderly classes with clear routines in place. In the early years, children listen to others well and sustain concentration for long periods of time.

Pupils benefit from a well-developed programme for their personal development. They enjoy the enriching educational visits that enhance what they learn in the classroom, such as trips to an Anglo-Saxon village. Pupils thoughtfully discuss their own beliefs and those of others.

They understand the importance of respecting the diverse lifestyles and beliefs in modern society.

Leaders have won the confidence of parents and staff. Many parents comment about how pupils enjoy learning and happily go to school.

All staff are proud of the school and enjoy working there. They appreciate the way leaders support staff to maintain reasonable workloads.

The trustees, governors and trust leaders provide the support and challenge needed to ensure the school improves.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• While curriculum plans show ambition, some areas have planned too much knowledge to be taught in a short amount of time. As a result, teachers do not give pupils enough time to study some material thoroughly.

This leads to pupils forgetting important knowledge. The school must ensure that all areas of the curriculum are planned so that pupils have enough time to learn the knowledge. ? The school's improvements to assessment have led to teachers routinely checking what pupils know and understand.

However, teachers do not check well enough what knowledge pupils remember from previous terms and years. This leads to teachers not realising when pupils forget key knowledge. The school must ensure teachers check what pupils remember from earlier terms and years and provide the necessary support when gaps are found.

Also at this postcode