St John Bosco Catholic Primary School, Town End Farm, Sunderland

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

St John Bosco is an outstanding school where every child really does matter. The visionary headteacher leads a very enthusiastic team who ensure pupils receive high levels of care and education. As a result pupils are extremely happy, enjoy school and have an excellent understanding of how to stay safe and healthy.

An overwhelming proportion of parents and carers support the excellent progress their children make, and speak very positively of, 'The lovely school which is a little part of the Kingdom of Heaven.' From entry points well-below those expected for their age, all groups make exceptional progress leaving with levels which are above national averages. Achievement is outstanding.

The g...ood start children make in the Early Years Foundation Stage continues and accelerates through the school, building successfully upon previous achievement towards very challenging targets. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities and pupils who are vulnerable due to their circumstances progress as well as their peers as a result of highly effective support. Teaching is outstanding.

Pupils thoroughly enjoy lessons and join in all activities with great enthusiasm. Both they and their teachers have an excellent understanding of how well they are learning and how they can improve. This helps them to work rapidly and be rightly proud of their achievements at the end of the lesson.

A highly innovative and rich curriculum enables pupils to follow their own enquiries and make personal choices. This fosters pupils' engagement, enthusiasm and the desire to learn and explore. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary.

Pupils show very good respect for themselves and others and follow the excellent example set by adults in caring and supporting others. Older pupils relish the opportunities to look after younger ones and all pupils are eager to serve the school and wider community in any way they can. The school council is a driving force in gathering pupils' views and making improvements to the school.

Pupils say this makes them feel valued and important. Pupils' attendance is average and improving. Although the school has been successful in improving punctuality, the attendance of a few pupils remains low.

The purposeful working relationships of the highly effective leaders demonstrate an outstanding commitment to maintain and build upon the very strong Christian ethos which pervades this school. The school evaluates itself very well. As a result areas identified at the last inspection have been successfully addressed.

Excellent partnerships with specialist agencies, the parish church and the partner school contribute to the outstanding outcomes of the school. All of these successes indicate the school has an outstanding capacity to improve further.

Information about the school

This is smaller than the average primary school.

It has been in a soft federation with English Martyrs' Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School since September 2008. Almost all pupils are of White British heritage. The proportion of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals is above average.

The proportion of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities is below average, although a higher-than-average number of pupils have a statement of special educational needs. The school has achieved Healthy School status and Activemark. It offers a number of learning opportunities for families.