St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

This is a good school, where pupils from different backgrounds work and play happily together.

Pupils feel welcomed here and safe. The school's aim, 'to grow and learn together in a loving and caring environment which reflects the Gospel values', is reflected in all the school's work. Pupils listen respectfully and politely to each other.

They said that all staff care about them and help them to do their best.

The school is a very calm place. Pupils learn the importance of doing their best and persevering when they initially encounter difficulties.

Pupils rarely miss a day of school. They behave exceptionally well, so that curriculum teaching is rare...ly interrupted. This is because pupils are supported by staff to engage with their surroundings, form positive relationships with others and enjoy their learning.

Bullying is rare and dealt with quickly. Pupils clearly enjoy the many activities on offer at playtime. These activities aim to help pupils keep fit, healthy and active.

School leaders and staff know the school's local community well. They use their knowledge to provide an inviting environment and typically engaging curriculum for pupils. Leaders are in the process of developing the sequence and structure of the planned curriculum in a few subjects.

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

The acting headteacher, governors and staff strive to provide the best education for all pupils. The top priority for leaders and staff is to teach pupils to read confidently and fluently. Leaders have invested heavily in staff training and resources to support the teaching of early reading.

Those who teach early reading are confident and knowledgeable in teaching phonics. Staff quickly help any pupils who find reading more difficult to catch up. The youngest children in Nursery handle books confidently, developing a love of books.

Children in Reception and Years 1 and 2 learn phonics knowledge appropriate to their age. A rich diet of carefully chosen books are integral to the school's curriculum offer. Older pupils enthuse about the books teachers read to them in class.

They name their favourite authors and the books they have enjoyed reading at home and in school.

Pupils study the full range of national curriculum subjects. Generally, leaders identify what pupils need to know to be successful in the next stages of their education.

Programmes of work are typically well sequenced. Pupils build their knowledge and understanding of key concepts as they progress up the school. In the early years, children are encouraged to become confident and successful learners.

Pupils display consistently positive attitudes to their learning. Low-level disruption happens very rarely. Pupils listen to their teacher and respond to instructions quickly.

Pupils achieve well overall. Teachers accurately check what knowledge pupils can remember. They use these checks to plan what to teach each pupil next.

In some subjects, curriculum plans lack detail about what pupils need to know and remember, to be ready when they move from one key stage to the next. This includes what key vocabulary pupils need to learn to deepen their understanding of important themes. Leaders have identified this and organised training for staff.

Where subject-specific training has taken place already, staff are more confident. In these subjects, curriculum planning is also coherently sequenced and structured. Pupils express what they have learned well.

Leaders have made sure that the curriculum is accessible to all. Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) achieve as well as other pupils. Staff understand the needs of pupils with SEND well.

Staff adapt the curriculum for pupils with SEND so that they are fully included in the school's activities.

The wide range of spiritual, moral, social and cultural opportunities is a strength. Pupils are taught a great deal through assemblies.

For example, they are encouraged to be custodians of the world in which they live and to appreciate the importance of fundamental British values. They are also taught about cultures and beliefs other than their own, including through links with a school in Sierra Leone.

The experienced governing body is ambitious for the school.

Members challenge and support leaders well. They use their collective and broad expertise wisely, to explore where improvements can be made. Funding is allocated where it is needed most, supporting the good quality of education.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Through training and policy updates, leaders make sure that all staff have an awareness of a wide range of risks. Staff take their duty of care seriously.

They engage well with external agencies, parents and carers. They gather the necessary information to ensure timely support for pupils. The school's personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum is well planned.

It provides many opportunities for pupils to reflect on their personal safety, including when using technology in and beyond school. Older pupils discuss maturely what constitutes appropriate and inappropriate behaviours. Pupils are taught how to report any concerns they may have for their own, or others', safety.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, planning lacks details about what pupils need to know and remember in the long term to deepen their learning over time. Not all plans build on the learning foundations laid in the early years. The school's curriculum is not yet sufficiently well planned and sequenced in some subjects.

However, it is clear that leaders have already taken action to plan next year's curriculum and to train staff in how to deliver it. For this reason, the transitional arrangements have been applied. Leaders need to ensure sufficiently detailed curriculum planning which builds on the learning in the early years is in place in all subjects.