St George’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St George's Catholic Primary School has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at the previous inspection.

What is it like to attend this school?

This warm and welcoming school is driven by its vision for pupils to be 'confident, complete and loving individuals'. This strong moral purpose underpins learning. Pupils are highly respectful and courteous.

They conduct themselves with maturity and embody the values of the school. Pupils enjoy their learning. They are happy and safe.

Charity work is at the heart of the school and pupils lead impressive initiatives to raise money and awareness for a range of charities. This includes local charity work for the... homeless led by the school's 'Caritas ambassadors'. Pupils enjoy numerous opportunities to lead.

They can become house captains, well-being ambassadors, digital apostles or join the school council or liturgy team. In these roles, they both support each other and the wider school community. For example, junior traffic ambassadors accompany the police to monitor traffic on their local roads and the green team lead green patrols and litter picking.

As a result, pupils have a keen sense of responsibility.

The school provides an ambitious curriculum. This begins in early years, where strong foundations are built.

Pupils achieve very well. This is because the school has high academic ambitions for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

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

The school has recently revised its curriculum in some subjects.

Following a thorough audit, leaders have identified some gaps in learning. These are being addressed carefully.The school has identified the knowledge that pupils need to learn and are strengthening the sequence in which this is taught so that learning builds effectively.

The needs of pupils with SEND are quickly identified to ensure that most pupils access ambitious learning within the classroom. Pupils with SEND make good progress through the curriculum alongside their peers. The school is inclusive and takes steps to ensure that those who are disadvantaged have the same opportunities as others.

For example, some enrichment activities occur in smaller groups, so that pupils feel more confident participating.

Pupils' understanding is strongest in mathematics and English, where academic outcomes are high. Teachers give pupils time to practise and apply their learning in mathematics and the school has consistently high expectations for pupils' writing.

Children in early years make an excellent start to their learning. They explore the composition of numbers and find missing numbers in sequences up to 20. Staff give considerable thought to imaginative activities to strengthen children's finer motor skills.

For example, children squeeze oranges and use pipettes to transfer the juice on the 'potion' table.

There is a strong culture of reading in the school. Pupils read ambitious texts, and a love of reading is evident.

The phonics programme is set out logically to build knowledge gradually and securely. Staff deliver the programme very well. They identify when pupils need additional support and help them to become fluent readers.

Teachers have secure subject knowledge and plan enrichment activities to support learning well. For example, pupils visit the Houses of Parliament and take part in poetry workshops. However, some pupils cannot remember their learning in some subjects in much depth.

This is because the school does not consistently check that pupils have understood content before moving on. This means, at times, some pupils, who may not choose to fully participate, do not securely learn the knowledge they are taught. Leaders have identified this and have plans in place for improvement.

Pupils attend school very well. Conduct around school is calm and purposeful. Children in early years learn and play with each other cooperatively.

They learn to build their concentration and regulate their emotions. Pupils quickly embody the 'St George's way' and learn to be both kind and courageous.

The provision for personal development is excellent.

Pupils take part in a wide range of clubs and competitions, including debating and athletics. There is a multitude of musical opportunities. The choir sings to residents in local care homes.

Pupils learn musical instruments, take part in concerts and put on high-quality productions. These opportunities provide valuable life experiences. Consequently, pupils are very well prepared for life in modern day Britain and learn how to stay healthy and safe, including online.

Staff feel valued and part of a strong community. One said they 'bounce into school' as it is such a friendly place to be. Parents and carers speak highly of the nurturing environment and pastoral care.

Governors are knowledgeable and take their duty of care seriously. Leaders are committed to a culture of ambition that puts the interests of pupils at the centre of decision-making.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The school does not check pupils' understanding effectively across all subjects. Sometimes, pupils do not fully understand concepts that prepare them for the more complex ideas that come later in the curriculum. The school should ensure that teachers routinely check that pupils' understanding is secure before moving them on to learning more complex content.

Background

Until September 2024, on a graded (section 5) inspection we gave schools an overall effectiveness grade, in addition to the key and provision judgements. Overall effectiveness grades given before September 2024 will continue to be visible on school inspection reports and on Ofsted's website. From September 2024, graded inspections will not include an overall effectiveness grade.

This school was, before September 2024, judged to be good for its overall effectiveness.

We have now inspected the school to determine whether it has taken effective action to maintain the standards identified at that previous inspection. This is called an ungraded inspection, and it is carried out under section 8 of the Education Act 2005.

We do not give graded judgements on an ungraded inspection. However, if we find evidence that a school's work has improved significantly or that it may not be as strong as it was at the last inspection, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection. A graded inspection is carried out under section 5 of the Act.

Usually this is within one to two years of the date of the ungraded inspection. If we have serious concerns about safeguarding, behaviour or the quality of education, we will deem the ungraded inspection a graded inspection immediately.

This is the first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good for overall effectiveness in October 2019.