St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School - a Catholic voluntary academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

This is a good school Senior leaders' steadfast determination to develop good teaching has resulted in good outcomes for pupils.

Expectations are high. Teachers and teaching assistants ask challenging questions that make pupils think deeply about their learning. Pupils respond well and make good progress.

Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is a strength of the school. Pupils are being well prepared to become good citizens. Pupils say they enjoy school and that they are safe in school.

They behave well around the school and in class. They treat adults and each other with respect. The well-planned curriculum makes a good contribut...ion to pupils' learning.

Interesting tasks motivate and engage the pupils well. Systems to check the quality of teaching and pupils' progress are thorough. Clearly identified professional development for staff has resulted in good teaching and pupils' progress.

The provision in the early years is good. Children make good progress as a result of good teaching and good leadership. Governors have an accurate view of the school.

As a result, they have challenged leaders well and the overall effectiveness of the school has improved to be good. It is not yet an outstanding school because : There are times when work set does not match the needs and abilities of pupils closely enough. Pupils' spelling and their understanding of how mathematics is applied to real-life situations require strengthening.

Occasionally, pupils are not given enough time to fully respond to marking and feedback. Plans for improvement do not show clearly how the changes to be made will improve the quality of teaching and pupils' outcomes.

Information about this school

The school is much smaller than the average-sized primary school.

The proportion of disadvantaged pupils supported through the pupil premium is average. The pupil premium is additional funding for those pupils who are known to be eligible for free school meals and those children who are looked after by the local authority. The majority of pupils are of White British heritage.

There are no pupils who speak English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils who have support for special educational needs or disability is well below average. There are no pupils with a statement of special educational needs or an education, health and care plan.

Children in the early years receive part-time education in the Nursery during the morning. In Reception, they receive full-time education. The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for attainment and progress in reading, writing and mathematics by the end of Year 6.

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. There have been significant changes to staffing and leadership since the previous inspection. In April 2014, the acting headteacher was appointed as executive headteacher of the school.

He is also executive headteacher of Malton St Mary's Roman Catholic Primary School, which is an outstanding school. The executive headteacher, a national leader of education, spends half the week at St Joseph's. The deputy headteacher is at the school for the whole of the week.