St John Fisher Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

The school has high expectations of what pupils can achieve. Pupils are encouraged and supported to be the best that they can be. Staff instil self-belief into pupils.

Pupils achieve well.

Pupils respect the school's rules. They conduct themselves sensibly.

In lessons, pupils are attentive. Weekly circle time helps pupils to understand their feelings. At social times, pupils play together harmoniously.

They use kind words towards each other. Children in the early years get off to a flying start. They learn quickly to follow the school's routines.

For instance, children in the Nursery class gladly tidy up at the end of the day. Pupils are hap...py in school.

Pupils learn how to be active citizens.

For example, Year 6 'Fisher friends' help children to settle into the Reception class. Pupils are keen to carry out charitable works such as collecting food for a local foodbank. Many of them, including those pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), represent the school at sporting events.'

Shining lights' are voted for by their class to represent them. They have helped to design a prayer garden. Play leaders support pupils to be active.

Pupils embrace the myriad of opportunities to help one another.

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

The school has designed an ambitious and logically ordered curriculum. It has thought carefully about how pupils' learning should progress from early years to Year 6.

Teachers use their strong subject knowledge to explain ideas clearly. Teachers mostly choose activities that are matched to the curriculum aims. However, on occasion, teachers choose activities that do not help pupils to practise and consolidate their learning.

Furthermore, teachers do not always check if pupils have learned the essential knowledge. As a result, some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge. They struggle to recall learning over time and to connect new ideas with prior learning.

The school has provided staff with appropriate guidance to be able to identify pupils' additional needs well. Staff successfully employ the training that they have received to support pupils with SEND to learn effectively across a range of subjects. Typically, these pupils achieve well.

Pupils enjoy reading a wide variety of books. Children in the Nursery class enjoy reciting their favourite rhymes and joining in with familiar stories. This helps them to get ready to learn phonics in the Reception class.

Staff are well trained to deliver the phonics programme. They quickly recognise pupils who struggle with reading. Effective support is put in place for these pupils to catch up with the phonics programme.

Pupils quickly become confident and fluent readers.

Staff do not tolerate low-level disruption. As a result, pupils' learning is rarely disrupted by poor behaviour.

On those rare occasions when pupils do not conduct themselves as well as the school expects, staff seek to understand what this behaviour is communicating.The restorative approach to behaviour helps pupils to consider the impact of their actions and behaviour so that they can learn to make better choices in the future. Children in the early years are taught how to take turns and share.

Some aspects of the school's personal development programme are strong. Pupils understand how to keep themselves healthy. They know which foods are nutritious.

Pupils practise mindfulness techniques to help their mental health. The school ensures that pupils learn to keep themselves safe in a range of situations. For instance, they learn about road, railway and online safety.

However, some aspects of the personal, social and health education curriculum are underdeveloped. The school has not clearly defined what pupils should learn about the protected characteristics or fundamental British values. This makes it difficult for teachers to emphasise this information when they design learning activities.

Some pupils develop gaps in their knowledge around British values and protected characteristics. They are not prepared as well as they could be for life in modern Britain.

The governing body has developed its skills and knowledge.

It understands its role in holding the school to account. Governors have walked the journey of improvement with the school. Staff are overwhelmingly positive about working in the school.

They appreciate the ways in which the school has been mindful of their workload while changes have been made to the curriculum. For instance, phase and subject leaders are given time to carry out their responsibilities.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, teachers do not check that pupils have learned the most important knowledge identified in the curriculum. This means that, in these subjects, some pupils do not develop a secure understanding over time. The school should ensure that teachers use assessment strategies effectively to check that pupils have learned this knowledge.

• The school does not ensure that pupils have a sufficiently deep understanding of fundamental British values or the protected characteristics. Pupils cannot articulate the importance of this learning or why it makes a difference to everyday life. The school should ensure that there is clarity about when and how pupils will learn about fundamental British values and protected characteristics, so that pupils are prepared fully for life in modern Britain.