St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils are happy at this warm and welcoming school. There is a strong family feel, with pupils genuinely caring for each other. Pupils are respectful as they move around school.

Pupils, including the very youngest are polite to each other, staff and visitors. Adults and pupils have positive, respectful relationships. Pupils are safe.

The school has high expectations for learning and behaviour. The school can clearly explain why outcomes and progress in 2023 fell below the expected standard. The actions taken by the school, including the appointment of a new leadership team, have led to higher quality learning for pupils.

The pastoral offer is strong. For exam...ple, the pastoral team runs mental health workshops, especially focused on Year 6 girls and their friendships and relationships. The school accesses support from charities for families in need.

Pupils understand the importance of equality. One pupil said, 'It's important to treat everyone how you want to be treated.' There is a focus on using pupils to celebrate their own cultures with others through sharing information and art competitions.

Parents and carers talk positively about the school. They feel listened to and welcome the communication that they receive.

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

The curriculum is ambitious and matches the breadth of the national curriculum.

The school has logically ordered the important knowledge that pupils need to learn so that it builds progressively from the early years. In reading and maths, staff development has been prioritised. In these subjects, staff demonstrate secure subject knowledge.

They explain new content to pupils clearly. However, in a few subjects, the school's agreed teaching approaches are not consistently implemented. This means that some pupils don't learn as well as they could.

Pupils' learning is now well aligned with the curriculum. Adaptations in lessons are successful, particularly for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). The needs of pupils with SEND are clearly identified.

They are confident to participate in lessons. There is a clear focus on developing pupils' vocabulary. Pupils talk confidently about their learning.

However, the recording of some pupils' written work contains inconsistent letter formation and lacks pride. This is not routinely picked up by staff.

Phonics lessons are taught consistently by well-trained adults.

Pupils follow clearly established routines. There is a high focus on oracy. Pupils have opportunities for speaking with repetition of sounds and sentences.

Pupils apply their phonic knowledge in writing. Reading books are accurately matched to pupils' phonic knowledge. Pupils read with increasing fluency as they become more accurate.

Older pupils read fluently and confidently.

The early years curriculum prepares children well for Year 1 and beyond. Adults prioritise the development of children's language and vocabulary.

Children use the sounds that they know to read and write. They develop their mathematical knowledge from carefully chosen activities. Children in the early years access a range of activities.

Routines are firmly established from the start. Children cooperate sensibly with each other. Adults support learning well.

For example, during the inspection, adults modelled how to mix colours using powder paint.

The behaviour policy can be seen in action in all areas of school life. Pupils know what is expected of them and they behave well.

There are clear systems for rewards and consequences which are understood by pupils. Pupils move calmly and sensibly around school. They play together happily outside.

Attendance including persistent absence has improved over time. However, some pupils do not attend school as often as they should. Recently, the school has put systems in place to further improve pupils' attendance and to reduce the number of pupils who are persistently absent.

This includes listening to the views of parents and pupils.

The school has thought carefully about the school's personal development offer. The personal, social, health and economic education curriculum has recently been reviewed.

This broadens pupils' knowledge of the world. Pupils experience a wide range of opportunities. The school encourages charity work and leadership through its 'Pupil Parliament'.

Extracurricular activities include choir, netball and art. The music offer ensures that pupils have access to whole class instrument tuition. Educational visits build pupils' cultural awareness, using high quality local places.

The school has made carefully considered improvements in a short time. Leaders, including governors and trust leaders have built capacity to improve the school further. Governors know the strengths of the school and the priorities for improvement.

Leaders respond positively to staff needs. They ensure that training and support is robust. Staff are positive about the support that they get from leaders and for their well-being.

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, the implementation of the curriculum does not meet subject leaders' high expectations. This means that pupils experience variability in the way the curriculum in some subjects is taught across the school.

In these cases, pupils do not learn as well as they should. The school should ensure that all subject leaders have the expertise to check that the curriculum in their subject area is being taught as they intend and support staff where required. ? The recording of some pupils' written work contains inconsistent letter formation and lacks pride.

Teachers do not consistently pick up on this. This means that some pupils repeat the same mistakes. The school should ensure that the writing expectations across the curriculum are clearly established so that teachers address errors promptly and pupils present their work with pride.

• Some pupils do not attend school often enough. This means that these pupils miss out on important learning and do not make the progress they should. The school should continue to develop the recently implemented systems to secure sustained and regular attendance.