St George and St Teresa Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils' well-being and care are at the heart of everything that happens in this school.

New leaders have brought a clear vision and direction to the school. There are now high ambitions for every pupil, including disadvantaged pupils and pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). All adults want children to flourish and achieve well.

And pupils do.

The pupils at this school are delightful. They are welcoming, friendly and curious.

Pupils genuinely enjoy learning and attending school. The respectful relationships between the staff and students are a pleasure to witness. The pupils say that teachers are the best thing about their... school.

Behaviour is strong. Pupils are confident that staff will deal with any issues quickly, fairly and effectively.

The school places great emphasis on pupils' personal and character development.

Pupils benefit from a huge range of activities that develop their personalities and further their interests. These activities include trips, residentials and after-school clubs. Pupils speak passionately about their roles as play leaders or school councillors.

The school ensures that the school is fully inclusive. Pupils with SEND have the same valuable opportunities as their peers and thoroughly enjoy these.

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

New leaders have brought stability and clear direction to the school.

They have improved the school and raised standards. The curriculum, which includes many new learning schemes, is broad and ambitious. All pupils learn in a wide range of subjects and achieve well.

This is reflected in strong pupil outcomes.

The school has carefully planned what pupils need to learn over time in all subjects. Overall, this is effective.

However, in some foundation subjects, this work is not yet complete. In these subjects, the precise knowledge and skills pupils should learn are not always clear. As a result, pupils are not able to build their knowledge over time.

The school makes sure that pupils with SEND receive the support they need. There has been some turbulence in the past, but new leaders are making a positive difference. New robust processes and systems are in place to identify and support pupils with SEND.

Leaders have a strong oversight of how well pupils do. Teachers have been trained and receive clear information on how to best support pupils in lessons. Targeted support and effective intervention are in place to make sure that all pupils can access their learning and succeed.

However, these strategies and systems are relatively new and consequently some parents do not fully understand them.

Reading is a top priority. All pupils enjoy reading, daily story time and reading in class.

The reading curriculum is very effectively taught. Teachers are quick to identify students who may need extra help, and interventions are put in place to help them catch up quickly. All of this means that pupils achieve well in reading.

Teachers use assessments well to check on what pupils can do and what gaps exist. They adapt their teaching effectively in order to address these gaps and provide support where needed. Pupils receive appropriate work that is well matched to their needs, and this includes pupils with SEND.

However, at times, teachers do not move pupils' learning on even when they are ready to learn new things. Consequently, this slows their learning.

Children in the early years settle well into school.

They are safe and happy. The school works hard to get to know children and ensure that they become used to daily routines and expectations. The early years curriculum is well structured and ensures that children get off to a strong start.

Children begin learning about letters and numbers straight away. Children enjoy learning and playtime in the outside spaces. By the time they move on to Year 1, they are very well prepared for the next stage of their education.

The school supports pupils' personal development very well. This is reinforced by the school's Catholic values and the strong relationships between staff and pupils. The personal, social and health curriculum ensures that pupils have many varied opportunities to grow as people.

For instance, pupils take on leadership roles, support in the local community and participate in the many activities to extend their learning beyond the classroom. The curriculum also emphasises respect for different faiths and cultures. Pupils say that everyone is equal.

All of this prepares them well for life in modern Britain.

Senior leaders are now able to identify any issues that fall short of their high expectations and address them. The trust supports this work effectively.

All staff are proud to work at the school. They believe that leaders care about their workload and well-being.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• The curriculum in some foundation subjects does not clearly identify the precise knowledge and essentials skills that pupils should know. As a result, in these subjects, pupils are not able to build up their learning over time. The school should ensure that staff members have a clear understanding of the knowledge and skills pupils are expected to know.

• Some teachers do not effectively adapt their teaching to extend the learning of pupils who are ready to learn new content. This slows the learning of some pupils. The school should ensure that all staff have the expertise to support pupils' learning effectively.