St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Outcome

St John Fisher Catholic Primary School continues to be a good school.

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a warm, welcoming and purposeful school.

Pupils are happy and safe here. They typically learn well because staff care and commit to helping every pupil achieve their potential. Pupils are taught to be resilient and persevere when learning is hard.

Leaders have created an inclusive environment where all pupils can be successful in their learning.

All staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. Pupils know what bullying is and what it is not.

They would tell an adult if it happened and expect it to be resolved quickly. Incidences of bu...llying are rare and addressed without delay. Pupils trust adults with their worries.

They would speak to their class teacher or any school adult if they were anxious about anything.

Leaders provide regular opportunities for pupils' achievements to be recognised. They reward pupils during weekly assemblies for demonstrating the school's learning powers of resilience, reflectiveness, resourcefulness and reciprocity.

Pupils strive to be like 'Determined Dexter' or 'Flexible Flo' when they tackle tasks. They want to succeed. Pupils like having the school dog, Maisie, on site.

They explained that Maisie helps to encourage them to be responsible and promotes their enthusiasm for animals more widely.

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

Leaders have designed a broad curriculum which matches the ambition of what is expected nationally. Learning is well sequenced, and the curriculum defines how pupils should build their knowledge and skills over time.

For example, in history, leaders and teachers are clear about what pupils should learn about significant events and people. Pupils also develop their understanding of the different sources of evidence available to learn about the past. Pupils know, for instance, that they can find out about Neil Armstrong by listening to audio and video recordings.

Pupils also understand that Samuel Pepys' diary would be a useful source of evidence for studying The Great Fire of London.

However, a few areas of the curriculum are less well developed. For example, in art, pupils do not build on their knowledge in a step-by-step way.

Consequently, they struggle, at times, to tackle more demanding and complex ideas. This is because the essential knowledge that leaders expect pupils to learn is not as clearly identified.

Leaders make sure that children begin to acquire confidence and fluency in number from the moment they join the school.

The early years environment is organised to immerse children in number. Teachers model ambitious vocabulary when speaking and giving written instructions. They build up mathematical knowledge systematically.

For example, children in the Reception Year learn to look at a group of objects and know how many there are without counting. They start by using familiar patterns, such as those represented on a die. Once children are secure in this approach, they apply their learning to different contexts.

In other year groups and subjects too, staff provide pupils with opportunities to rehearse and consolidate their knowledge. As a result, pupils apply their knowledge and skills confidently. For instance, in mathematics, when subtracting mixed fractions, older pupils understand how to find the lowest common denominator by using their knowledge of times tables.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are well supported to access the planned curriculum. Teachers identify and understand pupils' needs. This enables them to make appropriate adaptations to the planned learning.

Reading is prioritised. There is an embedded approach to teaching systematic synthetic phonics. Leaders regularly check pupils' progression in phonics and make sure they learn to read with books that match the sounds they know.

As a result, most pupils quickly learn to read fluently. Leaders provide effective extra help for those pupils who need to catch up, including bespoke support for pupils with SEND where appropriate. Pupils who join the school at the earliest stages of speaking English as an additional language are also supported effectively.

All staff have high expectations of pupils' behaviour. As a result, behaviour is calm and purposeful across the school. Pupils follow routines consistently well.

Low-level disruption in lessons is uncommon. Pupils view behaviour in school positively, and this view is shared by all staff and the majority of parents and carers.

Leaders support pupils' wider development by giving them opportunities to take a lead in their school.

For example, pupil ambassadors for reading recommend books to their peers. Pupil chaplains organise events that aim to help those in their local community. For example, they have arranged tea parties for older people.

Pupils learn about different religions as well as their own. Leaders organise events to celebrate and learn about different cultures.

Staff feel that their workload and well-being are carefully considered.

They benefit from the initiatives leaders have taken to reduce their workload. Staff state that leaders are 'approachable' and 'supportive'.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders train all staff so that they know how to help keep pupils safe. This means that staff are vigilant to the signs that a pupil could display if they are at risk of harm. Records show that any concerns are followed up thoroughly.

Leaders liaise effectively with external agencies to secure expert help when appropriate.

Pupils learn practical ways to stay safe. For example, they know not to attempt crossing roads when traffic lights are changing, or when using a mobile phone.

They are also taught about the dangers they may face using the internet and what to do if they are worried.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a few subjects, leaders have not clearly identified the important ideas pupils need to learn and remember. This means that sometimes teaching does not focus on this key knowledge.

Leaders need to ensure that teaching emphasises the knowledge that pupils need to learn and remember. This will help pupils to deepen their knowledge and understanding across the curriculum.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 first ungraded inspection since we judged the school to be good in April 2017.

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