St Gabriel’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils thrive in this happy, nurturing school.

Children in the early years, along with any pupils who are new to school, are given a warm welcome. They settle into school life quickly. Relationships between adults and pupils are exceptionally strong.

Pupils' behaviour is remarkable. They model the school's values each day, for example by being kind to one another. Pupils focus well during lessons.

They show high levels of respect for each other and staff. Pupils leave at the end of Year 6 as responsible individuals who are considerate of other people.

The school is extremely ambitious for pupils.

Pupils, including those with special educatio...nal needs and/or disabilities (SEND), rise to the challenges that the school sets for them, academically and socially. They achieve highly across the curriculum.

Pupils benefit from an array of experiences, such as museum and theatre visits and a wide choice of after-school clubs.

They make a tangible difference to school life. through the many opportunities that they have to develop their leadership skills. For example, older pupils flourish in their roles as 'buddies' and 'bronze ambassadors'.

Pupils who act as school councillors take their roles seriously. They encourage others to think about how they can make the school an even better place. Other pupils take on the role of safeguarding ambassadors.

They help to support any of their peers who are upset or lonely.

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

The school, with the support of the governing body, ensures that pupils not only achieve highly, but that their time at school is filled with rich and memorable experiences. The school's ambition to ensure that pupils have the best possible start to their education is realised in full in many aspects of its work.

However, this diligence is sometimes not matched equally well in terms of some of its work to protect pupils' welfare.

The school has developed an aspirational curriculum. From the start of the early years to Year 6, the curriculum flows well.

The school has ensured that teachers know what to teach and when to deliver subject content.

Pupils with SEND access the same curriculum as their peers. The school accurately identifies pupils' additional needs.

It ensures that pupils with SEND receive the support and wider opportunities that they need to achieve well. These pupils are fully prepared for the next stage of their education.

Teachers have strong subject expertise.

They use this to deliver the curriculum consistently well. Teachers design learning activities that enthuse and inspire pupils. This ensures that pupils are motivated to learn.

Teachers check pupils' knowledge carefully during lessons. They skilfully identify and address any misconceptions that would otherwise hinder pupils' learning. Pupils build an extensive range of knowledge across each curriculum subject.

They achieve very well. Pupils have a firm foundation on which to build when they move on to secondary school.

The school cultivates pupils' love of reading very well.

Pupils read from an extensive range of high-quality texts written by different authors. They hold articulate, thoughtful conversations about their favourite books. Older pupils relish their roles as reading buddies, where they help younger pupils learn to read.

From the outset, skilled staff help children in the Reception Year to make a swift start in learning to read. They make sure that children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 who are not keeping up with the intended pace of the phonics programme receive timely support. The school ensures that pupils read from books that contain the sounds that they already know.

This approach helps pupils to learn to read with confidence and to develop into fluent and accurate readers.

The school fosters a warm and positive climate for learning. In lessons and around the school building, pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

Pupils place a high value on their education. They do not want to miss out on any learning. Their rates of attendance are high.

If pupils' absence levels start to increase, the school works closely with parents and carers to reduce the barriers that may limit pupils' attendance.

The school fosters an impressively strong community spirit. This is embedded through regular assemblies that celebrate the school's values and support pupils' sense of collective endeavour.

The school gives pupils the opportunity to learn about each other's differences, cultural beliefs and challenges. This gives pupils a wonderful understanding of those around them. Pupils take on a range of responsibilities within the school.

For example, older pupils took part in an enterprise project to raise funds and spread awareness for local charitable causes. Some pupils organised a recent art event which raised money to help people in warzones.

Staff feel valued and respected by the school and the governing body.

They appreciate the support for their professional development through regular training, which helps them to fulfil their roles well. Staff are immensely proud to work at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

While pupils are safe at this school, inspectors found some shortcomings in its safeguarding arrangements. The school does not have a thorough enough approach to recording all aspects of safeguarding, and this could make it difficult for the school to maintain an oversight of its effectiveness in keeping pupils safe. It also makes it difficult for the school and the governing body to evaluate the effectiveness of their safeguarding practices.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school has not ensured that some administrative aspects of safeguarding are conducted as well as they should be. While this does not place pupils at risk of immediate harm, it does hinder the school in making sure that pupils receive all of the support that they may need. The school, including the governing body, should ensure that it maintains suitable systems that enable it to maintain a clear overview of safeguarding.

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