St Helen’s Catholic Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St Helen's Catholic Junior School continues to be a good school.

The headteacher of this school is Liam Daley.

St Helen's Catholic Junior Academy is a single-academy trust, which means that other people in the trust also have responsibility for running the school. The trust is overseen by a board of trustees, chaired by Barry Fitzgerald.

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Helen's Junior love their school.

Its inclusive, welcoming ethos ensures that pupils are settled and happy. Pupils are kind to each other. They constantly live out the values instilled by the school, such as respect and courtesy.

Pupils consistently meet the school's hig...h expectations. Their conduct is impeccable. Pupils willingly follow the school's behaviour policy and think it is fair.

Any behaviour incidents are usually minor and are quickly addressed by staff.

Pupils feel safe at school. They trust each other to behave considerately.

Pupils have confidence in staff to keep them safe.

Pupils pay attention in lessons and are keen to learn. They find lessons enjoyable.

They work hard and expect to do their best work. Pupils take pride in the high-quality presentation of their work.

Pupils enthusiastically embrace the many exciting things there are to do at school.

There is a wide range of clubs before school, after school and at lunchtimes. For example, pupils in Years 3 and 4 love attending the junior choir. Pupils of all ages are proud to take on responsibilities such as reading ambassador and eco-buddy.

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

The school has brought about rapid and substantial improvements to the curriculum. These improvements are rooted in ambition for all pupils. The school has broadened the curriculum, ensuring that pupils learn a wide range of subjects.

The school has identified the ambitious knowledge and understanding that all pupils must learn across subjects. In most subjects, curriculum plans set out small steps of learning in a logical order. This helps pupils retain important knowledge and work towards understanding more complex ideas.

Many pupils achieve highly. However, in a few subjects, the curriculum does not lay out clearly enough the specific knowledge that pupils are expected to learn, or how this should progress over time. Where this is the case, pupils' learning does not build in enough depth, and pupils do not remember what they are taught.

The school is determined that all pupils with SEND make the best possible progress from their starting points. The school identifies pupils' needs accurately and ensures that these are met. Pupils with SEND are well supported to access the same demanding curriculum as other pupils and have the same breadth of opportunity.

Reading is a high priority in the school. Pupils who struggle to keep up are quickly identified and given extra help. Staff ensure that all pupils know the sounds they need to read fluently.

Therefore, most pupils read confidently and widely. They access high-quality books in reading lessons, classroom book corners and the school library.

Teachers have the strong subject knowledge they need to teach most subjects well.

Their explanations are clear. Teachers use effective questioning to make pupils think hard and build their understanding. They frequently check that pupils can recall what they have learned before moving on to new knowledge and concepts.

Teachers ensure that pupils have the practice they need so that important skills become automatic. Pupils are confident that they receive the timely help they need to keep up.

Teachers ensure that there is a purposeful working atmosphere in lessons.

They manage the behaviour of all pupils effectively.

The school supports pupils' broader development well. The curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education ensures that pupils learn how to become responsible, tolerant citizens.

They are taught the knowledge and skills they need to develop a healthy, safe lifestyle. Pupils have the opportunity to debate different points of view. They develop curiosity and confidence through participating in a wide range of experiences, from forest school lessons to archery competitions.

They are encouraged to have a go at new things, such as a fitness club for those who do not enjoy sport. Assemblies reinforce a strong sense of community and belonging.

Staff strongly support the direction of the school.

They value leaders' investment in staff training. The school is considerate of teachers' workload. Governors support and challenge leaders well.

Most parents praise the school highly.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Curriculum plans in a few subjects do not identify precisely enough the small steps of knowledge that pupils need to learn, or how these lead to more complex knowledge.

This means that pupils' learning does not grow in depth over time, and they do not retain what they have been taught. The school should set out the specific, well-sequenced steps of knowledge that pupils must learn in each subject to ensure pupils build the complex knowledge they need.

Background

When we have judged a school to be good, we will then normally go into the school about once every four years to confirm that the school remains good.

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 would now receive a higher or lower grade, then the next inspection will be a graded inspection, which 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 second ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in July 2013.

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