St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Benwell

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Summary of key findings for parents and pupils

The headteacher provides strong leadership and has secured significant improvements since the last inspection. A team of dedicated staff share her ambition for the school. The governing body is well informed.

Governors provide a good level of challenge and support that has helped the school to improve. Weaknesses identified at the previous inspection have been tackled with rigour and success. Teaching and pupils' outcomes have improved.

Subject leaders provide an effective supporting role in strengthening the quality of teaching, learning and assessment. Pupils make good progress in reading, writing and mathematics from their different starting points. This in...cludes the most able pupils, those who are disadvantaged and pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities.

Arrangements for safeguarding are good. Pupils say they are kept safe in school and they feel safe. This view is supported by parents, staff and governors.

Children in the early years make good progress from their starting points and most achieve a good level of development. Pupils are well prepared for their next stages of education across the school and for transfer to secondary education. The school is a calm and orderly environment where pupils behave well.

Pupils show consideration and respect towards adults and each other. They have positive attitudes to learning. Pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and understanding of British values are embedded in their daily routine.

Pupils are well prepared for life in modern Britain. Occasionally, the most able pupils do not make fast enough progress because some staff do not have consistently high enough expectations of them. Most pupils' attendance is good but there are a small number who do not attend regularly enough.

Information about this school

The school meets requirements on the publication of specified information on its website. The school is an average-sized primary school. The proportion of pupil supported by premium funding is higher than that found in most schools.

The pupil premium is additional government funding to support those pupils known to be eligible for free school meals and children who are looked after. The proportion of pupils who have special educational needs and/or disabilities is above the national average. The proportion of pupils from a minority ethnic background is above the national average, as is the proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language.

The school meets the government's current floor standards, which are the minimum expectations for pupils' attainment and progress. In the early years there is full-time provision for children in the Reception class. In the Nursery class provision is in the mornings only.