St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Medlar-with-Wesham

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils, and children in the early years, enjoy attending this school.

They feel safe and know that they can turn to trusted adults in school who take care of them. They enjoy their lessons and are excited to learn new things.

The school has high expectations for pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

Most pupils achieve well.

The school expects pupils to behave well. Pupils move calmly around school.

At social times pupils play well together and enjoy choosing from a range of activities. They particularly like 'Wheelie Wednesdays', where they can use their scooters. Pupils listen well in lessons an...d most pupils try their best.

When pupils fall out, adults step in quickly to resolve any problems.

Pupils are proud to represent the school in sporting events. In addition, they are keen to support the community, for example through charity work and carol singing.

Older pupils take on responsibilities, such as arranging clubs for other pupils. Members of the eco council take their recycling duties seriously. Pupils love the range of trips that they can go on.

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

The school has been through a turbulent period with significant changes made to staffing. There is a much more settled staffing structure now. The new headteacher has prioritised developments to the curriculum.

The new subject curriculums ensure that pupils have access to a broad and balanced programme of lessons which follow a logical order. Teachers have strong subject knowledge. They ensure that lessons are interesting and engage pupils well.

However, in some subjects, the school has not clearly identified the key learning that they want pupils to learn. As a result, staff are not able to identify gaps in pupils' prior learning effectively. The school is developing ways to check how well pupils have remembered previous learning.

However, these are at an early stage of development.

The school has implemented an effective reading programme. Well-trained staff deliver lessons with confidence.

From the early years, pupils are engaged and keen to demonstrate what they know. They listen intently and focus on what they are learning. Regular checks ensure that teachers pick up any misconceptions quickly.

Staff give individual support to help the pupils who need it. Pupils read books that are well matched to the sounds that they know. Most pupils become fluent readers by the time they leave key stage 1.

Pupils enjoy the books which teachers share with them. The school has chosen texts carefully to help pupils gain an understanding of different cultures and ways of life.This helps pupils to develop empathy and creates interesting topics for debates.

Older pupils understand how important it is to learn to read for their future success.

Staff build strong relationships with pupils. From the early years, teachers encourage children to follow the school behaviour policy.

Pupils enjoy working towards whole-class rewards. A new approach to managing pupils' behaviour is focused on their understanding the impact of their actions on others. They like the way that they can talk about their feelings with adults who can help them.

The school accurately identifies the additional needs of pupils with SEND. Staff ensure that they make appropriate adaptations so that these pupils can access the same curriculum as their peers. In lessons, teachers check that pupils have understood what they have learned.

They use the school's 'learning break' effectively in order to give support to pupils when they need it.

Pupils learn about different faiths and cultures. They know that it is important to remember that people should be treated fairly.

They have a well-developed understanding of the inequalities that some people face, both in this country and further afield. Pupils recognise that fundamental British values are important. They understand that people's differences should not affect the way in which they are treated.

The school offers an especially wide range of sporting activities to pupils. There are opportunities for pupils of all ages and abilities to represent the school. Pupils' ideas are listened to and the school has developed new clubs, such as cheerleading, in response.

The school uses visits to enhance pupils' learning of the curriculum. Parents and carers particularly appreciate how well the school offers a broad range of experiences which all pupils can access.

Governors provide effective challenge and support to the school.

The school works to ensure that necessary changes have a minimal impact on staff workload. Staff value this approach and feel appreciated.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In a small number of subjects, the school has not made clear the key knowledge that pupils should learn. As a result, pupils do not deepen their knowledge as well as they could in these subjects. The school should further develop its curriculum design in these subjects so that pupils' learning builds on what they already know.

In some subjects, the school's assessment strategies do not enable teachers to check consistently well what pupils have learned previously. As a result, on occasion, some teachers are unsure about what pupils already know. The school should ensure that teachers are equipped to use assessment strategies successfully so that they can identify and address gaps in pupils' learning in these subjects.