St Joseph’s RC Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils at St Joseph's are happy.

They make lots of friends at school. Pupils feel safe because leaders and staff care for them. Pupils learn to be kind to each other.

They show respect for the diverse culture in the school and in the wider community. Pupils have a good understanding of the different relationships and family groups in society.

Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), enjoy their learning.

Leaders have high expectations for all pupils. The carefully planned curriculum is delivered well by staff. This means that pupils achieve well.

From the start of the early years, and through the res...t of the school, children and pupils begin to learn challenging new words that help them to talk about their knowledge of different subjects. Pupils spoke with enthusiasm and understanding about their learning.

Pupils live up to leaders' high expectations for their behaviour.

Pupils behave well in school. They understand what bullying is. Pupils are confident that leaders and teachers deal with any incidents effectively.

They know that they can talk to adults if they have a problem.

Pupils relish the opportunity to work and play in the extensive school grounds. These outdoor experiences enrich the curriculum and support their personal development.

Pupils also access a range of trips out of school and clubs in school to broaden their experience of the world around them.

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

Leaders have ensured that the curriculum for all pupils, including those with SEND, is challenging, ambitious and enjoyable. Leaders and staff, including those in early years, have carefully identified the essential knowledge that they want pupils to learn.

Leaders have strong subject knowledge. They support teachers effectively so that most subject curriculums are delivered well. As a result, pupils achieve well in these subjects.

In a few subjects, teachers' subject knowledge is not as secure. They have not had enough training to ensure that they are well equipped to teach the ambitious curriculums. This hampers them from designing learning that helps pupils to deepen their knowledge.

In these subjects, teachers' checks on pupils' learning do not identify what pupils know and can do well enough. This limits the progress that pupils make in some areas of the curriculum.

Typically, teachers choose activities that help pupils remember what they have been taught.

Teachers ensure that pupils have plenty of opportunities to revisit concepts and recall their learning. For instance, children in the early years are introduced to the work of a chosen artist. Pupils revisit the artist's use of technique and colour in Year 3.

As a result, pupils can confidently build on their prior learning.

The communication-rich environment in the Nursery and Reception classes promotes children's early language skills well. Leaders have high expectations of what they want children to learn.

This provides children with an ambitious curriculum which prepares them well for Year 1. Children have a secure understanding of routines and rules. This allows them to explore their surroundings with safety and confidence.

Leaders focus successfully on the development of pupils' reading. They have ensured that pupils can access a range of suitable materials. Staff have been well trained to deliver the new phonics programme effectively.

This helps children in the early years and pupils in key stage 1 to build their phonics knowledge securely. Reading books are matched well to the sounds and letters that pupils are learning. Staff quickly identify those pupils who struggle to read.

These pupils are provided with effective support to help them catch up. Pupils read with accuracy and fluency. They talked with enthusiasm about the books that they have read.

Pupils are polite, respectful and caring. They behave well in lessons and around school. This means that teachers can usually teach the curriculum without disruption.

Pupils were involved in the writing of 'golden rules' to guide behaviours for everyone. This means that most pupils feel that staff treat everyone fairly.

Leaders teach pupils to value diversity in their school life and in the wider community.

Staff enrich the curriculum with events and activities that build pupils' respect and understanding of different beliefs, faiths and abilities. The school regularly engages with outside agencies to enhance pupils' awareness and understanding. For example, pupils visit the 'Crucial Crew' where they learn about keeping themselves safe both online and in the wider world.

Pupils with SEND, including those in early years, are included fully in school life. Leaders and staff accurately identify the needs of pupils with SEND and work closely with other professionals to ensure that these pupils are well supported. Leaders ensure that pupils with SEND study the same curriculum as their peers.

Leaders make sure that staff have a reasonable workload. Governance has been strengthened. Governors are now well informed about the schools' performance.

They use their skills to support and challenge the leadership of the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

There is a strong culture of safeguarding at the school.

Staff receive appropriate training to ensure that they remain vigilant and able to respond to concerns. Leaders work well with external agencies and families to support vulnerable pupils. They rigorously follow up any safeguarding concerns.

Year 6 pupils talked enthusiastically about the activities that have supported their understanding of risks and safety in the local community. Pupils said that staff listen to and act on their views or concerns.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of curriculum areas, teachers are not as confident in their subject knowledge.

They have not received sufficient training to enable them to teach the curriculum as well as leaders intend. This hampers pupils' achievement. Leaders should ensure that staff are supported to deliver all subject curriculums consistently well.

• In some subjects, teachers do not use assessment strategies well enough to identify what pupils know or where they have gaps in their learning. This stops teachers from designing learning that builds on what pupils already know. Leaders should ensure that teachers have the expertise to check pupils' learning across different subjects.