St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, A Voluntary Academy

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Staff and pupils describe the school community as a special family. The school motto, 'Love, Care, Share', is lived out by pupils each day. Pupils show the utmost respect for each other and people of different faiths and cultures.

Pupils' uniqueness is celebrated. Adults listen to pupils and value their opinions. Pupils talk eagerly about school and what they have learned.

Pupils rise keenly to teachers' high expectations in English and mathematics and achieve very well. Staff teach children to read with fluency and expression as soon as they start school. If children find this a bit tricky at first, they are given daily support and they catch up.

Pupils read... aloud often.

A wide range of clubs, activities and events support pupils' learning and development. Parents and carers feel involved in school life.

Staff give excellent attention to encouraging everyone to take part and be successful, including pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). Pupils very rarely miss a day at school.

Pupils readily take on responsibilities such as being school councillors and sports leaders.

Pupils know what bullying is. No pupils spoken to had experienced it. Pupils say that 'little squabbles' are quickly sorted out.

They feel very well looked after by adults. Older pupils naturally lend a hand to the younger ones.

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

Over time, leaders have made sure that pupils achieve very well in English and mathematics.

Recently, leaders have developed a curriculum to help pupils gain knowledge just as well in other subjects. A considerable proportion of pupils enter school with skills that are higher than typical for their age. Leaders have rightly identified that the curriculum needs to be more ambitious, particularly for these pupils.

Leaders have checked that the school curriculum covers all aspects of the national curriculum. In some subjects, such as physical education (PE), leaders have carefully sequenced what knowledge and skills pupils will learn each year. Pupils apply the skills they have learned to play team games successfully.

They use accurate terminology. They have a good understanding of the effect that physical exercise has on their bodies.

In some subjects, curriculum development is at an earlier stage.

Leaders are still deciding the most important knowledge pupils should know and when, for example in design technology. In most subjects, including science, leaders have not formalised how they will check what pupils have learned.

Almost all pupils read well.

Children start to learn to read as soon as they start Reception. Children quickly and confidently apply their phonic knowledge to reading and writing. Children with lower starting points and those with SEND are given the right support to catch up.

They read aloud to an adult often. They have books that are well matched to the sounds they know. They realise when they make a mistake and go back to correct themselves.

Recent training has helped leaders identify ways to improve the teaching of phonics further.

Pupils with SEND are well supported by leaders and staff. They achieve well.

This is despite the challenge that leaders say they face in accessing external support. The needs of pupils with SEND have been carefully considered during the curriculum changes. For example, changes to the PE curriculum mean that more pupils with SEND take part in additional sports activities.

In early years, staff have recently raised their expectations of what children can achieve. Changes to the curriculum are helping children with higher starting points flourish. Children are eager to talk about their work and play.

The curriculum is exciting. It gives children lots of opportunities to practise what they have learned.

Staff care very much for pupils and pupils care for and respect them.

Leaders and the diocese have planned an aspirational virtues curriculum. Pupils work exceptionally hard at being the best they can be. They listen carefully to adults and respond quickly to instructions.

Pupils show high levels of self-control. They chose to 'do the right thing' naturally and without reminders. Their behaviour is excellent.

Governors put the care, nurture and safety of pupils first in their checks on leaders' work. They know how well pupils achieve in reading, writing and mathematics over time. However, they are not clear about what pupils know and remember in other areas of the curriculum.

This information has not historically been shared or, therefore, challenged.

The Catholic Schools Partnership (CSP) provides support and training opportunities for staff. The partnership's regular health checks have been fundamental in helping leaders identify and address priorities for improvement.

The partnership has supported leaders in managing changes in staffing and leadership.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have effective systems in place to check the suitability of staff to work with children.

Leaders make sure that staff receive frequent safeguarding training and updates. Governors are quickly informed when any aspects of the school's work in this area need developing. They check that appropriate actions have been taken.

Pupils feel safe in school. They learn about the dangers they may face and how to manage possible risks. Pupils spoken with told an inspector confidently how to respond in a fire ('stop, drop, roll') and to an internet safety concern ('stop, block, report').

They have full confidence in any adult in school giving them help if they need it.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

Leaders' curriculum plans are new in subjects other than English and mathematics. Leaders are still establishing ways to check on what pupils know in subjects.

Pupils build well on what they have learned in subjects such as PE. However, their knowledge in other subjects, such as design technology, is not as strong. Leaders should continue their plans to improve the curriculum.

They should establish ways to check that plans are being implemented effectively. Leaders should establish a way to check what pupils have learned in each subject. They should also make sure that governors are well informed about how well pupils are improving their knowledge across the curriculum.

. The curriculum is not ambitious enough in all subjects for pupils with higher starting points. Some pupils with higher starting points do not achieve as well as they can in all subjects.

Leaders have identified this. Leaders should continue with their plans to ensure that the curriculum end points in each subject are challenging. They should make sure that they identify exactly what pupils already know and build on this over pupils' time in school.

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