St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

At St Joseph's Primary School, the school's mission to 'work, learn and grow together' shines through. Pupils rise to the high expectations set for them.

This shared commitment creates an environment where pupils flourish.

Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. The 'St Joseph's way' is deeply understood by all, ensuring that every pupil models the school's values.

As a result, pupils are consistently highly respectful, responsible and ready to learn. These positive attitudes are evident throughout the school day.

All pupils benefit from the school's carefully planned, high-quality and incredibly effective approach to personal development.

This mean...s that pupils are exceptionally well prepared for life in modern Britain. For example, cultural exchanges, including singing Christmas carols to friends in Poland, foster a sense of global citizenship. Pupils show deep-rooted compassion for others and know that they can make a difference.

St Joseph's is a nurturing school where pupils are equipped to excel and to make a positive contribution to the world. Everybody involved in school life refers to St Joseph's as a 'family'. One pupil, perfectly summarising the view of all stakeholders said, 'We work together because that is what families do.'



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

Leaders have an unwavering determination for every pupil to succeed. This vision is shared by all.

The school has ensured that an ambitious curriculum is in place for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND).

In the early years and beyond, the curriculum is designed to prepare pupils with the knowledge and skills they need for their next stage. The school has also identified important life skills and built these into the curriculum. For example, pupils learn how to tie shoelaces and how to converse politely over lunch while using cutlery correctly.

In each subject, the curriculum identifies the knowledge and vocabulary for pupils to learn. This is carefully ordered so that pupils can build on what they already know. For example, in art and design, pupils develop their skills when creating depth and texture using an impasto painting technique.

Older pupils use subject-specific vocabulary such as 'perspective' with confidence. In the early years, children correctly use shape names in mathematics when learning about tangrams.

The school ensures that there are opportunities for pupils to practise new concepts and recall previous learning.

Some recently introduced teaching strategies are beginning to have a positive impact on learning. However, sometimes, pupils' learning is not checked effectively enough. Teachers do not always know when pupils have not understood or when pupils have gaps in their learning.

The school ensures that learning to read is a high priority. Staff are trained to deliver phonics lessons, and pupils enjoy reading books that are matched to the sounds they know. Regular checks ensure that pupils at risk of falling behind in learning to read are quickly identified.

Effective support is put in place, including for pupils with SEND. As a result, pupils learn to read effectively. Across the school, pupils enjoy, and benefit from, listening to their teachers read books to them.

The school knows pupils and families extremely well. Strong relationships are built as soon as children enter the early years. This means that any pupils with needs can be quickly identified.

Very effective, targeted support ensures that pupils with SEND make very good progress, whatever their starting points.

The school's work to promote pupils' wider development, excellent behaviour and attitudes to learning is exemplary. The 'St Joseph's way' and the sense of family mean that pupils show high levels of respect for staff, the school and each other.

They benefit from a wide range of carefully thought-out opportunities. Pupils relish taking on leadership roles in school, where they make a real difference to school life. For example, the school council and 'mission team' use suggestion boxes to gather ideas from everyone.

Members of the pupil 'SAS' ('safeguard and safety') team know what to do to help their peers, if needed.

Pupils benefit enormously from initiatives such as 'Brilliant in Britain week' and the 'sustainability summit'. They raise money for charities, learn how to keep themselves fit and healthy and learn about inspirational people and aspirational careers.

They learn about different faiths and show deep levels of tolerance and understanding.

The school is well supported by the multi-academy company. Robust systems and the use of external quality assurance mean that leaders' checking of what works well is effective and supportive.

Staff speak incredibly highly of the school and leaders. They value the exceptional consideration given to their well-being and the focus given to staff's training and support.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• Strategies for checking pupils' understanding are not always applied consistently. This means that misconceptions or gaps in pupils' knowledge are not always identified or addressed effectively. The school should ensure that routines for checking understanding and addressing misconceptions and gaps in learning are applied effectively across the curriculum.