St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

St Joseph the Worker is a warm and inviting place to learn. Pupils show excitement when arriving at school. They enjoy the learning that staff prepare for them.

The school has high expectations for pupils to achieve in all aspects of school life. Pupils achieve highly as a result. They benefit from studying a well-balanced curriculum.

Pupils enjoy the opportunities that they experience beyond the curriculum. They work with the local community and fundraise for the local care home and other charities. Pupils are positive about their extra-curricular activities and events such as choir, netball club, music lessons and the annual talent show.

Pupils share the sc...hool values of 'we learn, we care, we listen, and we share' with pride. They behave well. They know the high expectations that staff set and strive to meet them.

Pupils who need help meeting expectations are supported well.

Pupils are confident to be themselves. Staff encourage pupils to share their ideas and respectfully debate their views.

If pupils are worried about something they know who to talk to. They trust the adults in the school to help them and feel safe as a result.

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

The school has high expectations for pupils to achieve well.

The curriculum is well sequenced and begins from Reception. Pupils build on what they already know and can do and apply this to more complex learning. In most subjects, the curriculum is well established.

However, in some subjects, recent changes have led to staff not being well trained in the new content they teach. This means that opportunities are missed to check pupils' gaps in learning, and staff do not always teach the curriculum effectively to ensure pupils remember more over time.

The school has implemented a systematic synthetic phonics programme that begins from Reception.

Staff are confident in teaching the programme. From Reception, they ensure that children quickly learn the sounds that letters make. Children who do not grasp the sounds are supported during the day to revisit the sounds.

Pupils in other year groups who need help to catch up and keep up are identified quickly. They are well supported by the staff. Older pupils develop their reading skills across the curriculum.

Pupils confidently discuss and debate ideas about author choices. They develop their understanding of what being an author means and use this in their writing.

Teachers use effective questioning to check pupils' understanding.

Staff explain learning clearly and concisely. In some subjects, teachers are unfamiliar with the new curriculum content and do not always check that pupils are ready for new learning. This means that staff do not always check what pupils have learned and remembered.

Staff know pupils well. They adapt learning so that pupils can achieve well. Pupils with special educational needs and or disabilities (SEND) are supported effectively.

Pupils are excited to attend school. They thrive on the fun learning activities that staff prepare for them. Pupils want to be in school, and as a result, attendance is strong.

The school closely monitors pupils' attendance. The school works closely with external agencies and families to improve pupils' attendance where needed.

Pupils are proud to share their school's values.

In lessons, pupils are focused on their learning. They know the importance of being resilient and 'not giving up if it gets hard, but to keep trying your best'. Pupils know what bullying is, and they trust staff to deal with issues if, and when, they arise.

From Reception, children learn about helping others and looking after their classroom. Pupils talk passionately about the roles and responsibilities that they are given. They look forward to the 'SJW' roles that include playground games leaders, lunchtime helpers and reception helpers.

Pupils know that they have an important role in making their school a kind and caring place to be. Pupils benefit from the range of sports opportunities and look forward to representing the school in competitions.

Governors know the school well.

They are committed to ensuring that the school continues to improve. However, they do not always ask questions to ensure that they are holding leaders to account effectively. Staff feel well supported by leaders, and they are proud to be a staff member at the school.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Leaders have created a culture of vigilance. Staff know the processes for reporting and recording concerns.

However, in some instances, leaders' actions are not always clearly recorded. This means that some information is not always easy to locate and share. The school must ensure that all actions taken by leaders following a concern are recorded effectively.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some instances, the school's actions to keep pupils safe are not always recorded clearly. This means that information is not easily located and does not concisely show the actions that leaders have taken to keep pupils safe. The school needs to ensure that actions are captured effectively in records so that information can be shared and accessed quickly.

• In some subjects, staff do not always have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum well. This means that they are not checking on what pupils already know before moving on to new learning, and pupils develop gaps in their learning as a result. The school needs to ensure that staff have the subject knowledge they need to teach the curriculum effectively.

Governors do not always ask questions to hold leaders to account effectively. This means that governors do not have the knowledge they need to ensure that pupils are achieving well and the school is improving. The school should ensure that governors always provide effective support and challenge to leaders and can assure themselves that pupils achieve as well as they should and that improvements are being made.